French President Emmanuel Macron has won a second term after defeating far-right challenger Marine Le Pen in the country's presidential runoff on Sunday.

The interior ministry says Macron won 58.55 percent of the vote and Le Pen 41.45 percent.

Macron, 44, was elected as the country's youngest president five years ago after setting up a centrist political group. He changed the course of French politics, in which two main right- and left-wing parties had taken turns running the country.

This time, Macron gained support by stressing his achievements over the past five years, including anti-coronavirus measures.

He also called for cooperation among the member states of the European Union to deal with Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

Le Pen quickly narrowed Macron's lead. She called for steps to raise people's living standards amid surging prices. This is believed to have won her support among frustrated low income voters in rural areas.

In his second term, Macron will face the daunting task of implementing economic measures and raising living standards to ease public discontent and close the social divide. Many people will also be watching closely to see if he can exert his leadership and reach a diplomatic settlement of the Ukraine crisis.

France holds the presidency of the EU Council for the first half of this year.