So this is what most people around the world thought it to be. Emmanuel Macron, better known as a pro-European centrist, has made it to the French Presidency beating the extreme rightist Marine Le Pen. Ever since winning the first run-off, his chances of becoming the youngest French President began to look brighter with the passing of each single day. His victory was indeed overwhelming that keeps one hoping to see how he fulfils his voters' expectations. This is critically so, because Europe these days is far unlike what it meant and stood for a decade back. This means there are huge challenges, not just from within but also from without, in striking a balance between France as a unified nation and as one of the most important members of the European Union (EU). At a time of sweeping ultra-right populism, it is the French people who should be credited for their sanity. And the banner; 'Hope beats hate', that was hung on the stage, erected in front of illuminated glass pyramids of the Palais au Louvre, the famous museum in Paris, and above the cheering crowd amid a sea of French flags waving, for President-elect Macron to deliver his victory speech, encapsulates the broad message that the outcome of the French Presidential election serves to the country, nay the rest of the world.
True, the election campaign for past several months exposed deep economic and social divisions in France, as well as tensions provoked by identity and immigration. Moreover, the anti-globalisation campaign prompted by resounding rhetoric of US President Donald Trump even before he entered the White House has also been found an emerging phenomenon in France. Although Le Pen did not tread on Mr. Trump's flamboyant ways, she did not seem a fragile follower of the anti-EU and anti-globalisation stance. There are widespread fears, especially among a number of key international institutions, over the fate of multilateralism and international cooperation. Such fears have been aroused by the 'emergence' of the ultra-right populism in a number of developed countries. This is indeed posing now an incongruous threat to multilateralism and things that go with it in vastly myriad areas. 
With Macron holding the reins at the centre of Europe, there are definite reasons to breathe a sigh of relief. In the EU itself, there has been a sense of increasing rift on whether its Commission should pursue its liberal and trade-facilitating policies, particularly in respect of Generalised System of Preferences (GSP). The GSP has been a key facilitator, helping the less advanced economies, mostly the least developed countries (LDCs), to ride out critical barriers to accessing global market for decades. In this context, Mr Macron's electoral victory would be considered a positive development in support of multilateralism, global fraternity and united Europe. 
In a world where protectionist agenda is tending to gain more and more prominence, a free-thinking Macron is highly likely to hold on to the architecture of cooperation and collaboration among nations, while sticking at the same time to his strong commitment of uniting France as a nation. Ensuring France's security and addressing the concerns of its citizens at a difficult time, in chime with the needs of the rest of the world, would obviously be also his priorities. All these do no doubt present a daunting task for him to accomplish. All concerned would at this stage hope that Mr Macron would prove himself equal to the task, notwithstanding all the odds and difficulties. On this count, his post-victory speech has been quite inspiring. Along with this, the need for sanity — apparently a starkly lacking element in the course of actions on the part of some world leaders today — also calls for someone like Mr Macron who to make his presence felt, albeit strongly.
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Source: The Financial Express