Who won the French election 2017, when were the results announced and did the bookies get it right?
FRENCH voters headed to the polls for a final time to choose their new President, having dramatically rejected the candidates from the country's main two parties.
Far-right leader Marine Le Pen and centrist Emmanuel Macron faced off in the second and final round of the election today, Sunday May 7 - did the bookies predict the result correctly?
Who won the French Election 2017?
Newly elected French president Emmanuel Macron, a 39-year-old former investment banker who ran without the backing of a major party, was the clear odds-on favourite to win the second round of the French presidential election against Marine Le Pen.
He won the final vote with a victory of 65.5% to 34.5%.
The pair made it through to the second round after Macron snagged 23.8 per cent of the vote while Le Pen, who heads the National Front party, finished second with 21.5 per cent.
It was the first time in 60 years that both the Republicans and Socialist candidates have failed to make it through to the decisive next stage, after Conservative Francois Fillon and left-wing politician Jean-Luc Melencho finished third and fourth respectively.
Macron and Le Pen faced off in a fiery TV debate just days before voters were expected to make their decision, with a poll taken immediately afterwards signalling that Macron was supported by 63 per cent in contrast to Le Pen's 34 per cent.
When were the results announced?
The polls opened at 7am local time on Sunday May 7, and closed at 6pm in most places.
The results started rolling in from 8pm local time, which will be 7pm in the UK, although French media is not allowed to start giving results of exit polls until after the booths have closed.
Elections are always held on Sundays in France.
What were the odds and did the bookies get it right?
Yes they did!
Bookmakers made Macron the favourite to win and just days before the final election, offered 1/10 odds for Macron to win, compared to 11/2 odds for Le Pen.
