three European leaders call for choosing the “democratic candidate” in the second round

As the second round of the presidential election approaches, European leaders are taking a stand. German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez and Portuguese Prime Minister Antonio Costa implicitly called for a vote for Emmanuel Macron in the second of the French presidential election against Marine Le Pen, in a column published by the daily The worldThursday, April 21.

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“The choice facing the French people is crucial for France and for all of us in Europe”wrote the three Social Democratic leaders. “It’s the choice between a Democratic candidate who believes that France is stronger in a European Union powerful and empowered, and a far-right candidate, who openly sides with those who attack our freedom and democracy.”they explain without giving the names of the candidates in question.

European officials believe that the war launched by Russian President Vladimir Putin against Ukraine “targets the values ​​that France and our countries defend: democracy, sovereignty, freedom and the rule of law”. “Populists and the extreme right in all our countries have made Vladimir Putin an ideological and political model (…) They copied his attacks on minorities and diversity. They share his dream of a uniform nation”they add. “We must not forget this, even if these politicians today try to distance themselves from the Russian aggressor”implicitly targeting Marine Le Pen.

“We need France by our side (…) A France which defends our common values, in a Europe in which we recognize ourselves, which is free and open to the world, sovereign, strong and generous at the same time”they assure. “It is this France that is also on the April 24 ballot. We hope that the citizens of the French Republic will choose it”conclude the authors of the forum.