World leaders were quick to congratulate French President Emmanuel Macron on his election victory over his far-right rival Marine Le Pen.
Many in Europe described Sunday’s vote as an EU victory as a victory for Le Pen, a deeply EU skeptical politician, that could have had huge implications for the bloc’s stability.
For his part, Russian President Vladimir Putin sent a congratulatory message to Macron, Russian news agencies quoted the Kremlin as saying, Monday.
Likewise, Chinese President Xi Jinping congratulated his French counterpart, saying he “would like to continue working with President Macron to maintain diplomatic relations on the basis of independence, mutual understanding, foresight and mutual benefit,” according to a reading from state broadcaster CCTV.
The Chinese leader added that he has always viewed Sino-French relations from a “strategic and long-term perspective,” saying that the healthy and stable development of relations is becoming increasingly important at a time when the world arena is undergoing “complex changes.”
Bravo Emmanuel
European Council President Charles Michel, as well as the prime ministers of Belgium and Luxembourg, were among the first to congratulate Macron, followed by nearly all 27 of the bloc’s leaders, after he defeated Marine Le Pen by a comfortable margin.
Michel Books “Bravo Emmanuel” Twitter in French.
“In this turbulent period, we need a strong Europe and France fully committed to a more sovereign and strategic European Union.”
Although opinion polls predicted Macron winning the second round of France’s presidential election on Sunday, the experience of the United Kingdom’s surprise vote to leave the European Union and the election of Donald Trump in the United States in 2016 has raised some concern about the potential for election disruption.
Le Pen has always touted the idea of leaving the European Union, despite insisting during her election campaign that she had no “secret agenda” this time around to leave the bloc or the single euro currency.
Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi said Macron’s re-election was “fantastic news for all of Europe”, while German Chancellor Olaf Schulz said French voters “sent a strong vote of confidence in Europe today”.
The leaders of Sweden, Romania, Lithuania, Finland, the Netherlands and Greece, as well as the President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen, responded within half an hour of the result by congratulating them.
“I look forward to continuing our extensive and constructive cooperation within the European Union and NATO, and to further strengthening the excellent relations between our two countries,” Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte said.
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez tweeted his congratulations to Macron.
The citizens have chosen a France committed to a free, strong and equitable European Union. Democracy wins. “Europe is winning,” Sanchez wrote. Congratulations Emmanuel Macron.
On Thursday, Sanchez wrote in detail opinion article In French newspaper Le Monde, Schulz criticized Germany and Portuguese Prime Minister Antonio Costa Le Pen and urged people to vote for Macron.
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, the public face of Brexit, praised the outcome, pledging to cooperate with Macron, saying: “France is one of our closest and most important allies.”
congratulations for Tweet embed On your re-election as President of France. France is one of our closest and most important allies. I look forward to continuing to work together on issues that matter to our two countries and to the world.
🇬🇧🇫🇷
– Boris Johnson April 24, 2022
US President Joe Biden also praised Macron’s victory. “France is our oldest ally and a key partner in facing global challenges,” he said in a tweet.
“I look forward to our continued close cooperation – including supporting Ukraine, defending democracy, and tackling climate change.”
congratulations for Tweet embed on re-election. France is our oldest ally and a major partner in facing global challenges. I look forward to our continued close cooperation – including supporting Ukraine, defending democracy and confronting climate change.
– President Biden (POTUS) April 24, 2022
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, who has spoken with Macron several times since the Russian invasion of his country on February 24, congratulated his French counterpart over the phone.
On Twitter, Zelensky called Macron a “true friend of Ukraine”.
“I wish him more success for [French] Persons. I appreciate his support and am convinced that together we are moving towards new common victories,” he wrote in Ukrainian and French.
The leaders of Australia and Canada also congratulated Macron.
Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison said Macron’s victory was a “remarkable expression of liberal democracy at work in times of instability” and said he wished the French leader and his country “all success, particularly your leadership in Europe and as an important partner for Australia in the Indo-Pacific”.
Congratulations to Emmanuel Macron on your re-election as President. Another wonderful expression of liberal democracy at work in turbulent times. We wish you and France every success, especially your leadership in Europe and as an important partner of Australia in the Indo-Pacific.
– Scott Morrison (@ScottMorrisonMP) 25 April 2022
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said he “looks forward to continuing our work together on the issues most important to people in Canada and France – from defending democracy, to combating climate change, to creating good jobs and economic growth for the middle class.”
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