Macron sworn in for second term

France's President Emmanuel Macron presented his vision for his second leadership term during an inauguration ceremony in which he stated his intention to focus on facing up to the "challenges of the century".

Macron won a run-off contest against far-right opponent Marine Le Pen on April 24 and was reelected for another five years. His second term will start officially when the first one expires at midnight on Friday.

In his speech at the Elysee palace in Paris on Saturday, Macron said: "The time ahead will be that of resolute action for France and for Europe," news agencies reported.

He pledged to "take action relentlessly with a goal, which is to be a more independent nation, to live better and to build our own French and European responses to the century's challenges". He promised to leave a legacy of "a more livable planet" and "a stronger France."

Macron will seek to implement the reforms he promised when he came to power as France's youngest-ever president in 2017, said the AFP news agency.

The 44-year-old said he would seek to ease domestic social tensions by making the government and parliament "work together with unions, associations and other people from the political, economic, social and cultural world", reported the PA news agency.

He also promised to "first take action to avoid any escalation" of the conflict between Russia and Ukraine, and is expected to play a leading role in efforts to stop the fighting.

AFP said Macron "carries an immense burden of expectation as a leader on the European stage "with Germany still plotting its way forward after the departure of Angela Merkel as chancellor.

Efforts to address the rising cost of living will occupy him domestically, and he can expect protests when he pushes ahead with his pension reform plan to raise the nation's retirement age, said the Reuters news agency.

The inauguration also marked the start of campaigning for France's Parliamentary elections in June, when a newly-united political bloc of the Socialists, Greens, Communists and supporters of France Unbowed, will seek a majority to oppose Macron's reform plans.

Despite strong opposition to his pro-business policies, Macron won 58.5 percent of the votes against Le Pen. He promised to lead the country with a "new method", and spoke of the need for his second term to be "innovative".

"We need to invent a new method together, far from tired traditions and routines, with which we can build a new productive, social and ecological contract," he said, promising to act with "respect "and "consideration".