Europe's leaders and editorialists were able to breathe again following French President Jacques Chirac’s resounding victory over right extremist candidate Jean-Marie Le Pen in Sunday’s French elections.

"Phew," exhaled the front-page headline of the left-leaning national daily Liberation. The conservative Le Figaro, called it an "Immense Victory," but qualified that it was "a referendum rather than a presidential election."

European praise

Europe's leaders praised French voters for their rejection of the Euro-sceptic Le Pen, who had threatened to pull France out of the Union had he won.

"Today, the French people have once again demonstrated that their nation belongs to the heart of Europe," European Commission President Roman Prodi said in a statement. "The extremist, isolationist policies of Jean-Marie Le Pen have been rejected and crushed."

German Chancellor Gerhard Schröder had similar words, praising the French for rejecting "political extremism."

"Politics of demagoguery, disrespect for common values and turning away from Europe is not a model for the future," he said in an open message to Chirac.

Domestic troubles ahead

Other European papers looked ahead to the parliamentary elections in June, where Le Pen's National Front could build on its success in these elections, netting a record 6 million votes. The left won't come out for Chirac, the conservative candidate, like it did in these elections come June.

"Mr Chirac has done little to deserve such an endorsement," warned the Financial Times in England. "He may yet be punished by the electorate and condemned to further cohabitation with a government of the left."

Credit the re-elected president himself for realizing this fact. "I know that some of those who voted for me went beyond their personal choices," said Chirac, alluding to voters who wore gloves on their hands and clothespins on their noses when they cast their vote for him.

Building the government to take on Le Pen in June

On Monday, Chirac (photo) set about building a transitional government following the resignation of his Prime Minister Lionel Jospin. The social democrat announced he was retiring from political life after losing out to Le Pen in the first round of the French elections two weeks ago.

He personally turned in his resignation to Chirac on Monday. One hour later, Chirac chose longtime ally Jean-Pierre Raffarin to take his place. It will be Raffarin's job to form the new government that will head the conservative campaign come Parliamentary elections on June 9 and June 16.

Observers say French politics will have to face another Le Pen (photo) offensive in the parliamentary elections. The anti-immigrant, law and order campaigner has promised to fight every one of the 577 national assembly seats.

He has rejected consolidating with other right wing parties, preferring instead to bank on the popularity gained by the National Front in these elections.

"Seldom has the majority been so fragile," commented Germany's conservative paper Die Welt.

No one knows that better than Chirac, who invoked the words of his mentor Charles de Gaulle in reaction to Sunday's results: "I have heard you."