Tears of joy and frustration after French election count

Paris : Emmanuel Macron's youthful supporters wept tears of joy and shouted themselves hoarse on Sunday as projections from France's presidential election suggested their champion was well on track for power.

Similar jubilation played out at the headquarters of the far-right National Front (FN), whose leader Marine Le Pen brought the party to the presidential runoff for just the second time in its history.

For supporters of the conservative Republicans and far-left France Insoumise (France Unbowed), there was bitterness at a dream left unfulfilled.

But for Socialists, the evening was a nightmare, bringing the curtain down on the party's grip on the paramount seat of power.

A wave of noise and emotion swept though a giant conference centre on the southwest outskirts of Paris hosted by Macron's fledgling party, "En Marche" ("On the Move"), after projections showed the 39-year-old pro-Europe former minister led the pack for France's top job.