President Barack Obama Wins 2012 Election

Barack Obama has won re-election to a second term as president, beating back a fierce challenge from Republican Mitt Romney.

Barack Obama claimed a second presidential term last night as a progressive coalition of women, minorities and young people came together to return America’s first black president to the White House.

'This happened because of you. Thank you’ Mr Obama tweeted from his personal account.

Despite a close race, Mr Obama’s bullish eve-of-election prediction that he had “got enough votes to win” proved to be accurate as the Democrat turnout machine ensured huge showing from Hispanic and African-American voters.

All US television networks called the vote for Mr Obama and there were jubilant scenes outside Mr Obama’s election headquarters in Chicago, as a young, ethnically diverse crowd screamed their approval at the news.

However there were reports that Repubicans were intending to contest the result in Ohio, even though Mr Obama had appeared to have won a sufficient number of battlegroud states to ensure victory.