In a video posted to Emmanuel Macron’s election website, former president Barack Obama endorsed the centrist candidate for president of France ahead of Sunday’s second round of voting against far-right candidate Marine Le Pen.
“I know that you face many challenges, and I want all of my friends in France to know how much I am rooting for your success,” Obama said in a video statement posted on Macron’s website. “Because of how important this election is, I also want you to know that I am supporting Emmanuel Macron to lead you forward. En Marche! Vive la France!”
Obama continues to say that he won’t get personally involved in most elections now that he is a private citizen, “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.”
As a direct response to Marine Le Pen as well as leftist supporters who aren’t enthused by Macron, Obama, who spoke with Macron previously ahead of the original run-off vote, said the candidate “is committed to a better future for the French people. [Macron] appeals to people’s hopes and not their fears.”
After advancing to the runoff with Le Pen by winning 24% of the vote, Macron has a steady lead in the polls. The endorsement comes a day after Macron and Le Pen’s final debate that was marked with personal insults like Macron calling Le Len a seller of snake oil and Le Pen saying Macron was nothing but a stooge for German chancellor Angela Merkel.
(Via Politico)