He faces a political battle at home and a war abroad. French president Emmanuel Macron’s re-election is a rarity that allows him to work on building up his legacy in a deeply divided country.
But his victory came after beating challengers on both ends of the political spectrum – including far-right Marine Le Pen, who came far too close to the presidency for the comfort of many in France and across the world.
And 44-year-old Mr Macron now faces herculean challenges as a western leader at a time when an unprecedented Russian war against Ukraine has upended cherished European assumptions about security.
