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French populist nationalist presidential candidate Marine Le Pen congratulated her rightwing neoliberal rival Emmanuel Macron with victory in the French runoff election as the first preliminary results came out. Le Pen wrote on Twitter:
The French chose their new president… I congratulate him on his election, and because I care about interests of the country, I wish him to succeed.
According to first preliminary results, 62.5 percent of French voters supported Macron with 10 million ballots counted. On Sunday, Le Pen vowed to transform the National Front (FN), turning it into a new political force:
I propose to engage in a transformation of our movement to build a new political force. The first round of the election led to a re-composition of France’s political life, eliminating old parties, while the runoff led to other transformations, based on the cleavage between patriots and globalists. I want to thank the 11 million French people who gave their votes and trust to me, as well as supporters who accompanied me throughout the presidential campaign. I also want to thank Nicolas Dupont-Aignan, who supported me, for his courageous choice. The FN is the foremost opposition force. We plan to reform it ahead of the parliamentary elections.
7 May 2017
Sputnik International
https://sputniknews.com/politics/201705071053365381-le-pen-macron-congratulates/
Voices from Russia 
Le Pen to “Be Stronger Than Ever Before” Even if She Loses Presidential Runoff
Tags: 2017 French presidential election, EU, European Union, France, Marine Le Pen, political commentary, politics
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I think that Macron will win almost with absolute probability, but I also believe that after the election the National Front will be stronger than ever before. After the election, Le Pen will become one of the leading players in the French parliament. These are candidates with different value systems, different visions of France’s future. So, each of these candidates wanted to not just win, but also to delegitimise their opponent. Le Pen offered the idea of a sovereign France, distanced from the Euro-Atlantic allies, primarily from the USA. On the other hand, Macron proposed to continue the policy of François Hollande. Both candidates spoke of an independent France but understood this independence differently.
7 May 2017
Nikola Jovanović
Sputnik International
https://sputniknews.com/politics/201705071053363516-le-pen-stronger-even-loses/