Macron claims 65 per cent of votes

With more than 44 million of France's 47 million registered voters accounted for, official Interior Ministry figures confirm independent centrist Emmanuel Macron has been elected president with 65.31 per cent of valid votes cast so far.

About 12.5 per cent of votes cast were either blank or spoiled, the official figures show, while 24.7 per cent of the voters accounted for abstained.

Polling agencies earlier projected that Macron had defeated far-right leader Marine Le Pen 65 per cent to 35 per cent.

Macron supporters gathered outside the Louvre museum in central Paris broke out in wild cheers and waved the French flag as the news of his lead came through.

Reuters