The French electorate has overwhelmingly rejected the racist policies of Mr Jean-Marie Le Pen in what became, in effect, a referendum on his extreme right-wing programme. This is great news for France, Europe and the universal values underpinning European society.
Mr Le Pen's shocking victory over the prime minister, Mr Lionel Jospin, in the first round of the presidential elections, looks more like a specific political conjuncture in the light of this result - a dramatic wake up call rather than the expression of a long term historical trend.
The dangers arising from apathy and disaffection with the political system will nevertheless continue to agitate French politics during the forthcoming parliamentary election campaign. Mr Chirac will aim to secure a centre right majority in the general elections to consolidate his victory yesterday. But he may find it difficult to overcome the fragmentation which gave him less than 20% of the vote in the first round of the presidential elections. A similar condition afflicted Mr Jospin's socialist party.
While Mr Le Pen's vote is only slightly up, he could still benefit in the June elections if he holds that support together. The socialists will claim part of Mr Chirac's victory in mobilizing their supporters to vote for him as a defence of the French Republic - an argument strengthened by yesterday's higher turnout.
Clearly, the dismal presidential campaign run by Mr Jospin was a major factor enabling Mr Le Pen to make his breakthrough. If indeed his vote has peaked, it will be easier for the mainstream parties to campaign for a decisive parliamentary result. But if it produces another cohabitation between a right-wing president and a left-wing government, pressure will mount to rewrite the Constitution of the Fifth Republic, which is badly in need of reform.
Whoever wins in June needs a mandate to tackle the issues thrown up by this presidential campaign. Mr Chirac's victory decisively rejects Mr Le Pen's racist and xenophobic programme. Nonetheless, Mr Le Pen attracted the support of virtually one in five French voters. Their concerns are with crime and insecurity, immigration and political alienation from a system widely perceived as run by a corrupt elite with little real connection to the mass of ordinary people. Many more voters feel there is too little distinction between the main parties and are unsure about the democratic accountability of a governing system shared between France and its partners in the European Union.
The parliamentary campaign provides a real opportunity to reconnect France's political class with a sceptical and confused electorate. It will need convincing arguments in favour of France's multicultural society and an awareness that these values enjoy the sympathy and solidarity of fellow Europeans. The problems thrown up by this political crisis are not restricted to France, but concern its neighbours and friends throughout the world. They will be heartened by yesterday's affirmation of France's universalist traditions.