President Francois Hollande says Emmanuel Macron’s election victory sign of French unity

French President Francois Hollande reacts leaves a polling station in Tulle, during the second round of the 2017 French presidential election, central France. (Source: Reuters)

Outgoing French President Francois Hollande on Sunday said that centrist Emmanuel Macron’s victory in France’s presidential election showed most voters wanted to unite around “the values of the Republic”.

Hollande said in a statement he had called Macron to congratulate his former economy minister after he defeated anti-EU, anti-immigrant candidate Marine Le Pen.

“His big victory confirms that a very large majority of our fellow citizens wanted to unite around the values of the Republic and show their attachment to the European Union,” the statement said.

Hollande’s former prime minister Manuel Valls called separately for a broad presidential majority to be built around Macron in legislative elections next month.