Macron’s moderate and pro-European message wins in France

The French clearly voted against the populistic far-right candidate Marine Le Pen in the second round of the Presidential election.

On May 7, the centrist pro-EU candidate Emmanuel Macron was supported by two in three voters.

After a first round that discarded the big traditional parties, Macron showed the moderates are still a majority in France: 66% of the vote gave him a clear victory.

The participation in the second round fell to 76%, a low since 1996.

“I will fight with all my power against the divisions which undermine us and knock us back”, Macron said.  “I will do everything to make sure you never have reason again to vote for extremes.”

“People wanted something fresh, but not extreme”, agreed one supporter of Macron attending the celebrations happening in Paris.

“I voted for Macron to stop Le Pen”, another one said, “but I do not have much confidence in him.”

The European Union responded with relief. “Happy that the French have chosen a European future. Together for a stronger and fairer Europe”, the President of the European Commission, Jean-Claude Juncker, said.

ANTI-MIGRATION LE PEN FAILS

Marine Le Pen clearly lost the election in the second round, with a lower support than expected (34%), but still managed to get more than 10 million votes, an unusually high support for a far-right populist leader.

“I am calling on all patriots to join us and take part in this decisive political combat which has begun tonight”, Le Pen told her disappointed supporters.

SUPPORT OF THE PARLIAMENT?

According to Euronews, Macron’s En Marche! party is “so far projected to win at least 24 percent of first-round votes in France’s lower house, with the Republicans and National Front receiving 22 and 21 percent respectively”.

This legislative election will be held in June 11 and will draw the complete political map of France for the future. The new President will need the support of the parliament to advance his political agenda.

EVANGELICALS HAD CALLED TO VOTE ACCORDING TO “BIBLICAL CONVICTIONS”

A survey showed the Macron was the most supported candidate among Protestants (a group that includes evangelical Christians) in the first round.

The National Council of Evangelicals in France (CNEF) had issued a “convictions” document ahead of the election. Issues like freedom of worship and speech, dignity of the human being, education and the protection of the environment were commented from a biblical point of view.

The European Evangelical Alliance (EEA) had also expressed its concern after the rise of “populism” and called Christians to pray “for the emergence of healthy political figures.”