by Sarantis Michalopoulos with Euractiv Network
For many different reasons, leaders across Europe have hailed the victory of Emmanuel Macron in the second round of the French elections.
Most EU leaders focused on democracy winning against the extreme right in their congratulation messages. In contrast, others reminded President Emmanuel Macron that he needs to pay more attention to social and ecological policies.
Russia’s EU neighbours, on the other hand, feel more relieved because a “Le Pen accident” was avoided and, therefore, a more pro-Russian stance.
Both willing to join NATO, Finland and Sweden have seen Macron’s victory as big relief.
In Helsinki particularly, Le Pen’s strong poll results caused concern since her victory could have created obstacles and uncertainty in the country’s NATO aspirations.
It was a similar stance in Tallinn, where president Alar Karis said France and Estonia are very close allies and “defend the same values within NATO and the EU”.
In Poland, Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki said that Poland and France share “many challenges and common interests”.
“The time ahead of us is to work on them. The future of Europe lies in our hands. Congratulations to Emmanuel Macron on his victory!”.
The opposition tried to link Le Pen’s defeat to the Polish conservative PiS government, which has clashed with Brussels over the rule of law. During the migration crisis with Belarus, Macron had told the Polish prime minister that the EU would stand by them but would not overlook the rule of law concerns.
“A day will come that we will have Paris in Warsaw”, opposition centrist leader Donald Tusk (Civic Platform) said.
The topic of Russia was very present in politicians’ reactions.
“Thanks to Macron’s victory, there will be more Europe in Europe […] And less Russia”, Tusk added.
Centre-right lawmaker Jaroslaw Gowin (Porozumienie party) said Macron saved France from the pro-Putin Le Pen while the “hopes of PiS leaders to build a strong Eurosceptic bloc are dashed. The next congress of the leaders of the populist right will be a congress of losers.”
“A victory for Marine Le Pen would be a victory for the vision of a Europe of selfish states, of which the Kremlin would be most happy,” commented Wladyslaw Kosiniak – Kamysz, a lawmaker for the centrist/agrarian Polish People’s Party.
“France and Europe defended by Emmanuel Macron against hatred, backwardness, and Putin,” tweeted Maciej Gdula, a social-democratic lawmaker from the New Left.
In Prague, which will soon take over from France the EU Council rotating presidency, Czech Prime Minister Petr Fiala (ODS, ECR) said France is a “vital partner”, while Czech Parliament’s speaker Marketa Pekarova Adamova (TOP 09, EPP) said populism and nationalism have lost and that France will continue to be a partner in the EU and NATO.
In Slovakia, Defence Minister Jaroslav Nad (OLaNO) stated Macron’s re-election is “excellent news for whole democratic world”, stressing the clear stance of Macron towards Russian aggression in Ukraine.
In Hungary, so far, there has been no official government reaction.
European federalist MEP Dobrev Klara from Democratic Coalition (DK) hailed Macron’s victory, while “Viktor Orban’s ally and friend in the region, Janez Jansa, and his populist right-wing Slovenian Democratic Party lost the elections […] Both is great news for Europe’s friends”.
The German message
“Your voters have also sent a strong message of commitment to Europe today,” German chancellor Olaf Scholz said on Twitter. During this election, finance minister Christian Lindner added that France was standing at the crossroads, stressing that “the united Europe is the biggest winner of this election.”
However, the strong result of Le Pen has prompted concern. Ahead of Macron now lies the task of “rallying the French people, who voted strongly for right-wing and left-wing populists in this round of elections, probably out of disappointment, behind the political centre again,” Jurgen Hardt, foreign policy spokesperson of the conservative CDU told EURACTIV.
The result is a “serious reminder” to the French president that “France now needs a social and ecological renewal” as France is facing “deep social divides,” a senior Social Democrat, MEP Udo Bullmann, told EURACTIV.
“Emmanuel Macron’s election victory was more important for Europe than the German federal election. France has voted against right-wing populism and resentment and favoured President Macron’s Europe,” chancellor candidate for the CDU/CSU in 2021, Armin Laschet, told EURACTIV.
Austrian and Dutch leaders also focused on the pro-EU signal of Macron’s victory.
In Rome, Madrid, Lisbon and Athens, leaders highlighted France’s commitment to the European project.
In Italy, Lega leader Matteo Salvini congratulated Le Pen, tweeting: “Congratulations, Marine! Alone against everyone, coherent and smiling, you have gathered the vote of 13 million French people, an unprecedented rate. Together for a Europe based on work, family, security, rights and freedom”.
Greek MEP Stelios Kouloglou told EURACTIV that all polls show that disadvantaged French people support the far-right candidate as they feel marginalised by the political and social system. “Far-right demagogues are all over Europe are waiting if the problems of the vast majority are not solved.”
“Five years is very little in history. In France, the next match may have very unpleasant surprises. For now, France and the EU are saved. But until when?” he wondered.
*first published in: www.euractiv.com
By: N. Peter Kramer
