Macron declares he will unite a divided france

France is getting its youngest president since Napoleon.

The pro-EU centrist Emmanuel Macron - who convincingly beat the far right's Marine Le Pen in the run-off - says he'll use his time in office to unite the divided country. President Michael D Higgins has written to the 39-year-old wishing him a 'fruitful presidency'. Meanwhile, Macron was also the runaway winner among Irish voters in the Presidential election. 3,749 French citizens based in Ireland cast their votes yesterday at special polling stations. Macron won just under 90 per cent of their votes - with Marine Le Pen winning just 6.8 per cent of the ballot. Close to 8,000 French citizens are entitled to vote in Ireland, of whom 48 per cent cast ballots yesterday.