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World leaders congratulate Macron on victory as EU breathes sigh of relief World leaders congratulate Macron on victory as EU breathes sigh of relief
(35 minutes later)
Theresa May was among the first of the world leaders to rush to congratulate Emmanuel Macron for his convincing victory, as EU capitals expressed relief that France had proven not to be the next domino to fall after Britain’s Brexit vote and Donald Trump’s election as US president. World leaders have congratulated Emmanuel Macron on his convincing win in the French presidential election as EU capitals expressed relief that France had proven not to be the next domino to fall after Britain’s Brexit vote and Donald Trump’s election as US president.
Minutes after the exit poll came out, Downing Street issued a statement expressing Theresa May’s optimism over future relations between the two countries.
“The prime minister warmly congratulates president-elect Macron on his election success,” the statement said. “France is one of our closest allies and we look forward to working with the new president on a wide range of shared priorities.”
While Marine Le Pen was projected to take about 11m votes, double her father’s score in 2002, it was clearly satisfying to many leaders that the far right appeared unable to get above the 40% mark, which some feared would be breached.
The European commission president, Jean-Claude Juncker, tweeted his congratulations, saying: “Happy that the French have chosen a European future. Together for a stronger and fairer Europe.”
Juncker also sent a letter to Macron only 15 minutes after the exit poll result was published, in which he told the new French president that he welcomed “the ideas that you have advocated, a strong Europe, and progressive, that protects all its citizens”.
A spokesman for the German chancellor, Angela Merkel, was quick to hail the result as a “victory for a strong and united Europe”. “Congratulations, @EmmanuelMacron. Your victory is a victory for a strong and united Europe and for French-German friendship,” tweeted Steffen Seibert in French and German.A spokesman for the German chancellor, Angela Merkel, was quick to hail the result as a “victory for a strong and united Europe”. “Congratulations, @EmmanuelMacron. Your victory is a victory for a strong and united Europe and for French-German friendship,” tweeted Steffen Seibert in French and German.
Merkel’s chief of staff, Peter Altmaier, wrote: “Vive la France, Vive L’Europe!”, adding that it was a “a strong signal for our common values.” Separately, the German foreign minister Sigmar Gabriel celebrated Macron’s win for keeping France “at the heart of Europe”.Merkel’s chief of staff, Peter Altmaier, wrote: “Vive la France, Vive L’Europe!”, adding that it was a “a strong signal for our common values.” Separately, the German foreign minister Sigmar Gabriel celebrated Macron’s win for keeping France “at the heart of Europe”.
“Liberté, Egalité, Fraternité! France chose that today. The great nation was, is, and remains in the middle and at the heart of Europe,” wrote Gabriel on Twitter, using France’s national slogan. The European commission president, Jean-Claude Juncker, tweeted his congratulations, saying: “Happy that the French have chosen a European future. Together for a stronger and fairer Europe.” The European council president, Donald Tusk, also offered his congratulations, saying the French had chosen “liberty, equality and fraternity” and “said no to the tyranny of fake news”.
The European council president, Donald Tusk, also offered his congratulations, saying the French had chosen “liberty, equality and fraternity” and “said no to the tyranny of fake news”. While Marine Le Pen was projected to take about 11m votes, double her father’s score in 2002, it was clearly satisfying to many leaders that the far right appeared unable to get above the 40% mark, which some feared would be breached.
Donald Trump, similarly wasted little time in extending his congratulations, despite earlier having backed Le Pen. Minutes after the exit poll predicting Macron’s came out, Downing Street issued a statement expressing British prime minister Theresa May’s optimism over future relations between the two countries.
“The prime minister warmly congratulates president-elect Macron on his election success,” the statement said. “France is one of our closest allies and we look forward to working with the new president on a wide range of shared priorities.”
A congratulatory statement on Monday from the Kremlin, which had been widely seen as backing Le Pen and gave her a meeting with Vladimir Putin in March, urged Macron to work with Russia to “overcome mutual mistrust and unite to ensure international stability and security.”
Ties between Russia and France are strained over the wars in Ukraine and Syria while alleged cyberattacks on Macron’s campaign were linked to Moscow.
Donald Trump also extended his congratulations, despite earlier having backed Le Pen.
Congratulations to Emmanuel Macron on his big win today as the next President of France. I look very much forward to working with him!Congratulations to Emmanuel Macron on his big win today as the next President of France. I look very much forward to working with him!
Russian president Vladimir Putin urged Macron to bridge deep rifts and in a congratulatory telegram released by the Kremlin. “The growing threat of terrorism and violent extremism is accompanied by an escalation of local conflicts and the destabilisation of entire regions ... it is especially important to overcome mutual distrust and join forces to ensure international stability and security.” Chinese President Xi Jinping congratulated the victor, saying China and France shared a “responsibility toward peace and development in the world.”
The Kremlin was widely seen as backing Macron’s far-right opponent Marine Le Pen, with Putin hosting her during a surprise visit to Moscow in the run-up to the vote.
Adding to the tensions, alleged cyberattacks on Macron’s campaign were linked to Moscow and his supporters accused Russian state media of trying to smear the candidate. Ties between Russia and France are strained over the crisis in Ukraine.
Chinese President Xi Jinping also congratulated the victor, saying China and France shared a “responsibility toward peace and development in the world.”
“China stands ready to work with France to move the strategic Sino-French partnership to a higher level,” he said according to Xinhua news agency.“China stands ready to work with France to move the strategic Sino-French partnership to a higher level,” he said according to Xinhua news agency.
Meanwhile, the Chinese daily Global Times, a Communist party controlled tabloid, hailed Macron’s victory as a win against a “populism trend” following US President Donald Trump’s election last year.Meanwhile, the Chinese daily Global Times, a Communist party controlled tabloid, hailed Macron’s victory as a win against a “populism trend” following US President Donald Trump’s election last year.
“It may be too early to conclude that today’s peak of popularism in world politics is beginning to wane,” the nationalist newspaper said.“It may be too early to conclude that today’s peak of popularism in world politics is beginning to wane,” the nationalist newspaper said.
“Years later when we look back upon this election, we may find that France made a wise choice for human civilisation in helping to keep it moving forward at such a crucial time, rather than setting it back,” it said.“Years later when we look back upon this election, we may find that France made a wise choice for human civilisation in helping to keep it moving forward at such a crucial time, rather than setting it back,” it said.
Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said “the victory of President-elect Macron is a symbolic victory against inward-looking and protectionist moves and shows a vote of confidence in the EU”.Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said “the victory of President-elect Macron is a symbolic victory against inward-looking and protectionist moves and shows a vote of confidence in the EU”.
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau telephoned Emmanuel Macron to congratulate him.Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau telephoned Emmanuel Macron to congratulate him.
“I look forward to working closely with President-elect Macron in the years ahead as we work together on a progressive agenda to promote international security, increase collaboration in science and technology, and create good, middle class jobs on both sides of the Atlantic,” he said in a statement earlier.“I look forward to working closely with President-elect Macron in the years ahead as we work together on a progressive agenda to promote international security, increase collaboration in science and technology, and create good, middle class jobs on both sides of the Atlantic,” he said in a statement earlier.
Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull said he had congratulated Macron and had received a text back saying he was “looking forward to working together”.Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull said he had congratulated Macron and had received a text back saying he was “looking forward to working together”.
Highlighting the cooperation between French and Australian soldiers during World War I, he added: “We have been side-by-side in freedom’s cause for over a century, and we are side-by-side in freedom’s cause in the Middle East today. So we have great work to do to make the ties between France and Australia stronger still.”Highlighting the cooperation between French and Australian soldiers during World War I, he added: “We have been side-by-side in freedom’s cause for over a century, and we are side-by-side in freedom’s cause in the Middle East today. So we have great work to do to make the ties between France and Australia stronger still.”
In Brussels there had been no contingency planning for a Le Pen victory, in a sign of an unwillingness within the Berlaymont, the cross-shaped tower that houses the European commission, to even consider the ramifications of such a result more than anything else. In Brussels there had been no contingency planning for a Le Pen victory, in a sign of an unwillingness to even consider the ramifications of such a result more than anything else.
The election was seen as significantly more important to the survival of the European project than the vote in the UK last June, given the centrality of France, a founding member, to the EU.The election was seen as significantly more important to the survival of the European project than the vote in the UK last June, given the centrality of France, a founding member, to the EU.
Le Pen had pledged to take France out of the eurozone and to hold a referendum on France’s EU membership, unless the bloc agreed to revert to a loose coalition of nations with neither a single currency nor a border-free area.Le Pen had pledged to take France out of the eurozone and to hold a referendum on France’s EU membership, unless the bloc agreed to revert to a loose coalition of nations with neither a single currency nor a border-free area.
Not only did the result come as a significant relief for the European commission, but it will be seen by some in Brussels as a vindication of the EU executive’s unprecedented backing for a candidate in a domestic election. The decision to not comment during the Brexit referendum in the UK, and the question of whether that had been the right way forward, had weighed heavily on officials’ minds in Brussels.Not only did the result come as a significant relief for the European commission, but it will be seen by some in Brussels as a vindication of the EU executive’s unprecedented backing for a candidate in a domestic election. The decision to not comment during the Brexit referendum in the UK, and the question of whether that had been the right way forward, had weighed heavily on officials’ minds in Brussels.
When the first round produced a run-off between Macron and Le Pen, the temptation to at least have a say proved too much.
Juncker had tweeted his support for Macron when he topped the first round and the commission’s chief spokesman Margaritis Schinas told reporters the next morning that the choice had become a “fundamental one”, between pro-Europe values and those who seek the EU’s “destruction”. “When the choice is set along these lines, for Jean-Claude Juncker, who has spent 35 years of his life defending Europe’s values and the need for cooperation, the choice is pretty obvious,” Schinas said.
The former French finance minister, Pierre Moscovici, a Socialist party politician, who is now economic affairs commissioner in Brussels, had defended Juncker’s intervention at the time from those who said he had overstepped the mark, describing the election in France as a “referendum on Europe”.
Responding to Sunday’s result, Manfred Weber, the leader of the European People’s party, the largest group in the European parliament, of which Merkel and Juncker are members, expressed the relief felt by many at the result and its wider ramifications. “The election shows that people are ready to fight against extremism and populism,” he said. “For all those who think that France can only be strong in a strong Europe and that Europe needs France to be self-confident and sure of its assets, this result is an immense relief.”
Guy Verhofstadt, the former Belgian prime minister, and now the European parliament’s Brexit coordinator, tweeted: “Congratulations to President @EmmanuelMacron! Everyone is looking to #France now to take the lead in a New Deal for Europe.”
Macron had tempered his decidedly pro-European message with a pledge to reform the institutions, but he is expected to share Merkel and Juncker’s vision of an EU that coordinates more in the areas of finance and defence. “I do consider that my mandate, the day after, will be at the same time to reform in depth the European Union and our European project,” Macron had told reporters, adding that if he were to allow the EU to continue to function as it was would be a “betrayal”. “And I don’t want to do so,” he said. “Because the day after, we will have a Frexit or we will have [Le Pen’s] National Front (FN) again.”
Macron is said to be planning to promote democratic conventions in every member state in order to gauge the type of EU citizens are seeking.
He also made public his desire for the 73 seats currently held by UK MEPs to be transferred to a trans-national European list in a symbolic show of support for further pan-European cooperation.
Indeed while Downing Street welcomed the result, the British government may reasonably harbour some concerns about what the result will mean for the Brexit negotiations.
Macron had talked aggressively about luring businesses to France post-Brexit from the steps of Downing Street on a visit to the prime minister and has pointed out in recent days that the British were coming to see that leaving the EU will not be “walk in the park”.
In his election manifesto, Macron described Brexit as a crime that will leave the UK facing servitude and, during the campaign, he spoke out against a “tailormade approach where the British have the best of two worlds” creating “an incentive for others to leave and kill the European idea, which is based on shared responsibilities”.
All may not be lost, however. One of Macron’s closest advisers is an author of the Bruegel report that proposed a “continental partnership” between the UK and the EU. He will also be keen to maintain security ties. It is clear that Macron will have his hands full enough in seeking a majority in the French parliamentary elections this summer and with then fleshing out a seemingly thin policy agenda around which his new party can unite.