In Le Pen stronghold, French voters dread five more years of Macron

French President Emmanuel Macron waves on stage after being re-elected as president, following the results in the second round of the 2022 French presidential election, during his victory rally at the Champs de Mars in Paris, France, April 24, 2022. REUTERS/Gonzalo Fuentes

HENIN-BEAUMONT, France (Reuters) - When Emmanuel Macron's election victory flashed on TV screens mounted in the main polling station of far-right candidate Marine Le Pen's stronghold of Henin-Beaumont in northern France, there was anger and disappointment etched on the faces of her supporters.

In this former coalmining town in northern France, where unemployment runs high and the town hall is controlled by Le Pen's party, there had been strong hopes that the far right would this time break through the glass ceiling that has kept it out of power.