Emmanuel Macron be inaugurated today and will be taking over from François Hollande, who’s been in office since 2012.
Macron took 66% of the vote, compared to the National Front (FN) conservative candidate Marine Le Pen’s 34%. However, voters also backed the FN in record numbers. The break down of the votes show Macron scored higher in urban areas, whereas Le Pen’s biggest support came from rural areas.
Interestingly enough, Emmanuel Macron’s wife Brigitte Macron, arrived at her new palatial residence ahead of her husband.
His private meeting with the outgoing president will last for about half an hour, followed then comes the inauguration ceremony itself, and a speech.
Reuters reports that the private meeting between Mr Macron and Mr Hollande includes the nuclear launch codes being transferred. France has some 300 nuclear warheads, according to the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons.
Afterwards, the new President visit the Arc de Triomph, and lay flowers at the memorial to the unknown solider there.
Then Mr Macron will meet the mayor of Paris, Anne Hidalgo, at the town hall, where is expected to speak again.
The inauguration will take place under extremely high security with thousands of police officers securing the area the new President will be in.
His electoral victory ends the decades-long dominance of the two traditional main left-wing and right-wing parties in France.
He is expected to name a PM on Monday.
