Macron marches to French presidency

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Emmanuel Macron has won a resounding victory in the French presidential election but the focus shifted immediately on May 8  to whether he can govern the country without the support of a traditional party.

At 39, the pro-EU former investment banker will become France's youngest-ever president after crushing far-right leader Marine Le Pen in the run-off on May 7, but he faces a formidable challenge to enact his policy program while trying to unite a fractured and demoralized country.

He has proposed an ambitious domestic reform agenda including cutting state spending, easing labor laws, boosting education in deprived areas and extending new protections to the self-employed.

But he is inexperienced, has no political party and must fashion a working parliamentary majority after legislative elections next month.

There is skepticism about Macron's ability to win a majority with candidates from his En Marche movement -- "neither of the left, nor right" -- alone, meaning he might have to form a coalition.

"In order for us to act, we will need a majority in the National Assembly," En Marche secretary general Richard Ferrand told TF1 television, adding that only "half of the journey" had been completed.

And his economic agenda, particularly plans to relax labor regulations to fight stubbornly high unemployment, is likely to face fierce resistance from leftist opponents.

He also inherits a country still in a state of emergency following a string of Islamist-inspired attacks since 2015 that have killed more than 230 people.

"I know the divisions in our nation, which have led some to vote for the extremes. I respect them," Macron said in an address at his campaign headquarters, shown live on television.
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