Macron's Landslide Victory with a 'But'

French President-Elect Emmanuel Macron is today celebrating a landslide victory in the 2017 election. The latest resident of the Elysée palace will start his term in office with confidence, having beaten his far-right rival by a convincing margin. When looking at the split between the votes received by the final two candidates, the result is indeed impressive; Macron received 66 percent. This though, is only half of the story.

Of the roughly 48 million registered voters in France, 12.1 million did not cast a vote. Perhaps of more concern for the new leader - faced with the polarising choice of a pro-Europe internationalist or a far-right Eurosceptic - 4.1 million potential voters decided to post a blank or void ballot. All said, Macron only actually received 44 percent of the vote, to Le Pen's 22 percent.

While the victory over his opponent was emphatic, Macron may have a tough time governing a populace seemingly unconvinced of his ability to lead the country.