France took a very different path than the United States in their presidential election as centrist candidate Emmanuel Macron beat far-right candidate Marine Le Pen in a landslide. Hollywood activists were among the first to celebrate the victory of Macron.
Phew.
— Christine Vachon (@kvpi) May 7, 2017
Macron was quickly declared the winner after polls closed at 8 p.m. local time, with 65.5 percent of the vote against 34.5 percent in favor of Le Pen, who pushed anti-immigrant and nationalist views in her campaign. Although President Trump wouldn’t endorse a specific candidate in the French election, he called Le Pen the “strongest” of the two.
President Barack Obama threw his support behind French presidential candidate Emmanuel Macron in a video posted by French journalist Laurence Haim on Twitter.
“I’m not planning to get involved in many elections now that I don’t have to run for office again,” Obama said. “But the French election is very important to the future of France and the values that we care so much about. Because the success of France matters to the entire world.”
Obama said that he met with Macron recently to discuss his vision. He said that he believes Macron is the right choice for the French presidency because he has “stood up for liberal values” and “is committed to a better future for the French people.”
Macron, a liberal-centrist and former member of the Socialist Party, is the country’s youngest president at 39. Despite having never previously run for office, he was named deputy secretary-general under President Francois Hollande in 2012 and became Minister of Economy two years later.
Macron ran on a pro-globalist platform, supporting the preservation of the European Union despite Great Britain’s decision to leave it in a referendum vote last year. Le Pen, conversely, ran on a message of intense nationalism, calling for France to close its borders to immigrants and to break away from the rest of Europe. After the two candidates advanced to a run-off election, they sparred in a debate last week that quickly became heated.
Here are just a few of the reactions that are pouring in:
MERCI France for sending a strong message to the world. This is an overwhelming victory for truth & tolerance.#FrenchElection #Macron https://t.co/yCpYzXjeOm
— Beau Willimon (@BeauWillimon) May 7, 2017
THANK GOD!!!! Macron, Well Ahead of Le Pen, Is Poised to Be President of France https://t.co/tkvu92CM7e
— Anne Thompson (@akstanwyck) May 7, 2017
At least now the French have a good reason to be condescending to Americans.
— Franklin Leonard (@franklinleonard) May 7, 2017
https://twitter.com/Justin_Marks_/status/861284024031031297
Congratulations to the French people and their new President Emmanuel Macron!!
— Mia Farrow?? (@MiaFarrow) May 7, 2017
What is this feeling?? I am just FILLED with *not* despair pic.twitter.com/bKwvnU35XG
— Lauren Duca (@laurenduca) May 7, 2017