“Fireworks are going off in the Place de la République in Paris. People are climbing the statue of France’s beloved Marianne, the Republic's personification of liberty, equality and fraternity… Despite any political differences between them, these voters stood together against the far right.”

French election results 2024: Projections show surprise lead for left alliance

The far-right National Rally, which hoped for an historic victory, appears to have been pushed into third place.