Large numbers of those who put a cross next to Mr Chirac's name said they had no choice but to do so in order to block Jean-Marie Le Pen and to restore France's tarnished international image.

And so, despite his huge mandate, the newly re-elected President faces some tough challenges - firstly, how to deal with the real fears of the millions who voted for the far-right without being seen to pander to extremism, and, secondly, how to ensure victory for his political allies in next month's parliamentary elections and thus avoid another five years of sharing power with a left-wing government.

It was in part this peculiar system of cohabitation which left voters here disillusioned with the current political establishment and paved the way for France's current political crisis.