The National Front leader and current frontrunner said that Francois Hollande's five-year term as the French president a "disaster."
Le Pen also said that she together with her team had made the first step to the victory in the French presidential election.
"You have led me to the second round [of presidential election] and I express to you, my voters-patriots, my deep gratitude. The first stage that must lead to the Elysee Palace is overcome," she said to her followers.
She said it was time "to liberate France."
At 7 p.m. local time (17:00 GMT) the voting ended as the polling stations across France closed. Extension until 18:00 GMT is possible in some big cities. French media were prohibited by the law from publishing any preliminary results until the last polling stations were closed.
The French residents chose from 11 candidates in the first round, but only two of them will make it to the second round on May 7, which will be held if nobody gets support of more than half of voters.
