In France, the preliminary results of the presidential elections were summed up.
Emmanuel Macron won with over 58% of the vote.
His opponent, Marine Le Pen, leader of the right-wing National Rally party, won over 41%.
According to the French Ministry of the Interior, at 17:00 on April 24 (18:00 Moscow time), the turnout in the elections was 63.23%.
Macron was congratulated on his re-election by world leaders, in particular Russian President Vladimir Putin, US President Joe Biden, German and Austrian Chancellors Olaf Scholz and Karl Nehammer, British and Italian Prime Ministers Boris Johnson and Mario Draghi, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen.
After announcing that "troubled" but "historic" years were ahead, Macron said in a speech on the evening of April 24 that he had an "ambitious project" that concerned all French people.
“Now I am no longer a candidate from one camp, I am the president of all the French.
I know that many of our fellow citizens, who have opted for the extreme right today, have been led to vote for this project by anger and disagreement, and they also need to be answered.
I and those around me will be responsible for this,” he said.
In turn, Marine Le Pen commented on her election result, calling it a "bright victory."
According to her, “despite two weeks when unscrupulous, harsh methods reigned,” the ideas that the head of the National Rally party and her supporters represent are “reaching heights.”
“I am afraid that the new term for cruel methods will be similar to the previous one.
To avoid usurpation of power by some, I will more actively than ever continue my work for France and the French with all my energy, perseverance and love, which you know about, ”Le Pen said, emphasizing that she was starting a“ big campaign battle” before the parliamentary elections.
As the head of the National Rally party said, she intends to unite everyone "who wants to gather strength against Emmanuel Macron, wherever they are."
The results of the French elections were commented on in the Federation Council of the Russian Federation.
As the vice-speaker of the Federation Council Konstantin Kosachev noted, Macron won "rather on the denial of Le Pen by voters than on his own successes."
“Two-fifths of these voters, for the second presidential election in a row, denying confidence in traditional politics, is a sign of a continuing public split,” Kosachev wrote on his Telegram channel.
champs elysees
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In his opinion, in the absence of “clear recipes” for overcoming the crisis of the national economy and solving migration problems, Macron will soon become more active in foreign policy.
“So I expect an increase in the degree of radicalism of Paris in the Russian direction, and with an eye not so much to help solve Ukrainian problems, but to demonstrate the French national flag at any cost,” Kosachev said.
Johnson later commented on the results of the presidential election, noting that Macron's victory is important for the unity of the West, which, according to the British prime minister, is absolutely necessary "in the approach towards Putin."
Waiting for the government
According to Sergey Fedorov, a leading researcher at the Department of Social and Political Research at the Institute of Europe of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Sergei Fedorov, Macron won the election, because in the second round most of the French voted for him, who voted in the first round for the head of the left-wing Invictus France party, Jean-Luc Melenchon.
At the same time, according to the analyst, the results of the electoral process showed that many French "had hated Macron during his reign and disagreed with him in many ways."
“Macron understands that in fact, only a third of the population strongly supports his policy, and not the conditional 58% that voted for him in the second round.
Therefore, the only possible political course within the country for him is the unification of all the French so that they support the program of the newly elected president.
From here came Macron's slogan that he is the president of all the French, who must take into account the interests of both the right and the left, those who voted against him, ”the expert said in an interview with RT.
Fedorov also noted that Macron's political fate will depend on whether he manages to maintain a majority in the French National Assembly, which, according to the expert, "there is no certainty."
“A new political cohabitation between the president and the parliamentary majority, which will be oppositional, is quite possible.
Then Macron will have to create a coalition government, which will weaken his position in terms of reforms.
He will have to coordinate his course and planned policy with the prime minister, look for compromises, ”the analyst said.
According to the head of the Center for French Studies at the Institute of Europe of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Yuri Rubinsky, Macron's victory in the presidential election does not mean that he will be able to implement his election program.
As the expert noted, despite the fact that Le Pen lost the presidential election, she "claims to be the leader of the opposition to Macron."
“Now all attention will be directed to the reorganization of the government and parliamentary elections, which will be held this summer.
Whether Macron will be able to keep the majority for his party is a big question.
The government in France has very large powers.
Now there is a struggle for what the new majority will be, ”the analyst said in a commentary to RT.
Rubinsky also noted that compared to the results of the 2017 presidential election, when Macron and Le Pen also entered the second round, this time the gap between politicians is much smaller.
The second round of the presidential elections in France on April 24
AP
© Daniel Cole
“Five years ago, Macron won more than 66% of the vote, and the head of the National Rally party almost 34%.
Now the gap between them is much smaller.
The victory of the incumbent president is no longer so convincing.
Many French people have become disillusioned with Macron, although he has retained a solid base among voters.
The most successful segments of the population and those who advocate globalization voted for him.
Le Pen was supported mainly by residents of rural areas, suburbs, less wealthy citizens, ”the expert stated.
Before the second round
According to analysts, Macron's position began to strengthen after the April 20 televised debate with Le Pen, during which he criticized his rival for allegedly having links with Russia.
“You are dependent on the Russian authorities and on Mr. Putin,” said Emmanuel Macron, recalling that the National Association party in 2014 took a loan from a Russian bank allegedly “close to the government” of the Russian Federation.
Le Pen replied that she had to apply to this organization because no French bank "wanted to lend" her money.
“We return funds monthly, every penny,” she said, recalling Macron’s unfulfilled promise to create a “bank of democracy” to finance political parties.
After that, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and Spanish and Portuguese Prime Ministers Pedro Sanchez and António Costa called on the French not to vote for Le Pen during the second round of the presidential election, but to vote for Macron, Le Monde writes.
“This is a choice between a democratic candidate who believes that France is stronger if the European Union is autonomous and strong, and a far-right candidate who openly sides with those who attack our freedom and our democracy,” the newspaper quoted politicians as saying. .
On the same day, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova commented on this appeal to French voters.
“Is this not considered election interference now?”
— wrote Zakharova in Telegram.
"Positions are no longer so strong"
As Fedorov noted, Le Pen was unable to win the presidential election in France, including because of accusations against her of ties with Russia.
“But all these statements and arguments were clearly far-fetched and did not contain any evidence.
But it worked, because now any non-condemnation of Russia is considered almost "assisting the aggressor."
And Le Pen, although she condemned the special operation in Ukraine, believes that sooner or later it will be necessary to negotiate with Russia, ”the expert stated.
As Fedorov emphasized, Macron remains in power, but his "position is no longer so strong."
“Le Pen will keep his party and strengthen it.
She will definitely be the largest political figure on the political stage,” the expert noted.
The second round of the presidential elections in France on April 24
AP
© Bob Edme
At the same time, according to Fedorov, during his second term, Macron will continue the course towards further deepening European integration.
“It is no coincidence that Macron’s speech on the evening of the second round of elections was accompanied by the anthem of Europe.
It will pursue a policy that is largely aligned with the EU.
For example, he certainly will not pursue an energy policy separately from the European Union, as Marine Le Pen called for, ”the expert said.
Fedorov also predicted how relations between Russia and France might develop during Macron's second term.
“Nothing will change in the relations between the two countries.
On the one hand, the policy of Paris is based on the desire for dialogue, but tough dialogue, with pressure on Russia.
In addition, the French side will continue to support EU sanctions and their strengthening.
There is no need to wait for some kind of detente here.
Macron will continue contacts with the Russian president, but this does not mean that he will enthusiastically build relations with the Russian Federation, ”he said.
Fedorov stressed that the French president does not intend to "sail separately from his Western colleagues against the current."
“He will first of all take into account the interests of the EU and NATO allies, and will try to speak on behalf of the whole of Europe with Russia.
It is not necessary to consider Macron a friend or a person who strongly sympathizes with the Russian Federation, ”the expert concluded.