On Sunday 23 and Monday 24 April, the principal leaders and European political groups welcomed the result achieved by the candidate of the movement En Marche!, Emmanuel Macron, who came in ahead of Marine le Pen, the leader of the Front National, in the first round of the French presidential elections, and called on the electorate to block the FN leader.
The pro-European candidate came out top in the polls with 23.9% of votes cast, to 23.43% for his rival, in the first round of elections in which 11 candidates ran. For the first time ever, the candidates of the traditional governing parties in France – the Parti Socialiste and Les Républicains – were eliminated in the first round and will not be taking part in the second.
"See the French and European flags welcoming the result of Emmanuel Macron, the hope and the future of our generation", tweeted Federica Mogherini, the High Representative of the EU Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, (our translation).
The European Commission's reaction has caused the most comment, as it is usually very reluctant to get involved in national election campaigns. President Juncker congratulated Macron on his result in the first round and wished him all the best for the second, Commission spokesperson Margaritis Schinas announced on Sunday 24 April.
When asked on Monday about Juncker's stance in support of the En Marche! candidate, Schinas justified the intervention on the grounds that it was a "choice between European values or the option which wants the destruction of Europe", and that was why Juncker spoke out in favour of Macron.
In Washington this weekend to attend the spring meetings of the international financial organisations, the Commissioner for Economic and Financial Affairs, Pierre Moscovici, and Juncker discussed whether to react to the results of the first round of the French presidential elections. Had Le Pen not gone through to the second round, the Commission would not have reacted.
However, "in a referendum on the euro, we do not have to remain silent", said Moscovici, who called on the French to vote "first for Macron, for Europe, then against Le Pen". Noting a certain relief within the Commission, he warned against complacency: France must act to restore its credibility, particularly in budgetary and economic terms. The European institutions must furthermore take note of the discontent expressed, as nearly 50% of the French electorate effectively voted to change Europe as it currently exists. This can be done, Moscovici said, by democratising the Eurozone on the basis of the existing bodies, defining a more balanced trade policy without straying into protectionism and moving forward on a Social Europe to tackle populism.
Pro-European political groups between relief and fear
The Belgium Liberal and leader of ALDE in the European Parliament, Guy Verhofstadt, said on Sunday evening that he was delighted that Macron had won the first round with a manifesto that promotes a tolerant, ambitious and European France.
However, most pro-European political groupings in Parliament stressed the danger of a Far Right presence in the second round of the elections.
Germany's Manfred Weber, the leader of the EPP, said that all democrats must close ranks against radicals and populists. S&D leader Gianni Pittella also called on all democratic forces to block the FN. He did not hide his disappointment at the poor showing by Benoît Hamon, the Parti Socialiste candidate, whom he described as the only one defending a progressive pro-European manifesto with innovative proposals.
The Greens/EFA also stressed the need to support Macron. "Despite the shortcomings of his movement En Marche!, particularly on social and environmental matters, now is the time to rally against Le Pen's extreme right-wing national populism", said the co-chair of the group, Philippe Lamberts. (Original version in French by Solenn Paulic with Mathieu Bion)