French President Emmanuel Macron on Sunday comfortably won re-election to a second term, according to polling agencies’ projections. Amid the ongoing Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the result offered the European Union the reassurance of leadership stability in the bloc’s only nuclear-armed power and was immediately hailed by France’s allies.

A second five-year term for the centrist Macron spares France and its allies the seismic upheaval of a wartime shift of power to Macron’s populist challenger Marine Le Pen, who quickly acknowledged her defeat Sunday night but still appeared on course for a best-ever showing for her fiercely nationalist far-right policies.

Also read: Polling agencies project re-election for French leader Macron

During her campaign, Le Pen pledged to dilute French ties with the 27-nation EU, NATO and Germany, moves that would have shaken Europe’s security architecture as the continent deals with its worst conflict since World War II.

Le Pen also spoke out against EU sanctions on Russian energy supplies and faced scrutiny during the campaign over her previous friendliness with the Kremlin.

Also read: French presidential election: Macron in pole position, Le Pen racing hard

A chorus of European leaders hailed Macron’s victory. “Democracy wins, Europe wins,” said Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez.

“Together we will make France and Europe advance,” European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen posted on Twitter.

Also read: French elections: What are Macron and Le Pen’s views on wages, EU, Ukraine?

Italian Premier Mario Draghi hailed Macron’s victory as “splendid news for all of Europe” and a boost to the EU “being a protagonist in the greatest challenges of our times, starting with the war in Ukraine.”

Polling agencies’ projections, released as the last voting stations closed, said Macron was on course to beat his rival by a double-digit margin. Several hundred Macon supporters happily gathered in front of the Eiffel Tower in Paris, waving French and EU flags to the beat of Daft Punk’s “One More Time.”

Also read: Will Putin positions hold sway over French elections?

Five years ago, Emmanuel Macron won a sweeping victory over Le Pen to become France’s youngest president at 39.

The margin is expected to be much smaller this time: Polling agencies Opinionway, Harris and Ifop projected that the 44-year-old pro-European centrist would win at least 57% of the vote.

Le Pen was projected to win between 41.5% and 43% support — a still unprecedented result for the 53-year-old on her third attempt to win the French presidency.

Also read: Zelensky invites Macron to see proof of ‘genocide’ French president denied

Breaking through the threshold of 40% of the vote is unprecedented for the French far-right. Le Pen was beaten 66% to 34% by Macron in 2017 and her father got less than 20% against Chirac.