French president-elect Emmanuel Macron (file photo)

A new page of history of the French Fifth Republic has been turned over on May 7, 2017. French “centrist” presidential candidate Emmanuel Macron, who is mere 39-year-old, won by a landslide over Marine Le Pen, the leader of France’s far-right National Front, to become France’s youngest president.

The news has also attracted netizens’ attention in China, with some casting doubts on the plausibility of Macron’s policy to be really “central”, i.e. not leaning to the left nor the right. The new French president’s marriage to his high school teacher who is 24 years his senior has also become a heated discussion on Chinese social media.

Macron inherits the traditional values of the European integration. He supports globalization and free trade, and champions the European Union and the euro. His far-right rival Le Pen once put it forward that “The divide is no longer between the left and right but between patriots and globalists!". The whole Europe has been very concerned after Brexit. Macron’s victory on Sunday gives hopes to the French people. Some even said, “EU wins. Globalization is stabilized.”

Mr. Macron's supporters (file photo)

Though it’s not easy to draw a conclusion at this stage, Macron who styles himself as a liberal “progressive” and claims himself to be neither of the left nor right is undoubtedly a new strength in pushing forward the globalization. The young politician has established a public image of a policy maker who is determined to reform.

Macron once referred to his intense presidential campaign and endless opinion polls as a “Long March”. Indeed, under the leadership of this new president, France may begin a new “Long March”.