German, Spanish, Portuguese Leaders Call On French Citizens to Vote for Macron

PARIS (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 21st April, 2022) German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez, and his Portuguese counterpart Antonio Costa have called on French citizens to vote for the incumbent president Emmanuel Macron in the second round of the presidential election, French newspaper Le Monde reported on Thursday.

"The choice facing the French people is crucial for France and for all of us in Europe. It is the choice between a democratic candidate who believes that France is stronger in a powerful and autonomous European Union, and a far-right candidate who openly supports those who attack our freedom and our democracy," the leaders said in a statement published by the newspaper.

Scholz, Sanchez, and Costa also accused Russia of attacking European values, democracy, and freedom with its military operation in Ukraine.

"Populists and the far right in all of our countries have made Vladimir Putin an ideological and political model, repeating his nationalist demands. They have copied his attacks," the statement added.

The leaders noted that "they need France on their side, France that protects their common values," expressing the hope that French citizens would make the right choice.

On April 10, France held the first round of the presidential election. Macron received 27.84% of the vote and the leader of the right-wing National Rally party, Marine Le Pen, received 23.15%, which means they will face one another in a second round on April 24.