Chamisa applauds Macron on ‘historic re-election” as French president

Zimbabwe’s main opposition leader Nelson Chamisa has congratulated pro-European centrist Emmanuel Macron for winning a second term as French President.

Macron has become the first leader to win re-election in France for 20 years, after a bruising campaign in which he beat the far-right’s Marine Le Pen by a decisive 58.2% to 41.8%, according to initial projected results.

Chamisa, the Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) leader, said the victory of the 44 year-old French President was an inspiration.

“Congratulations to the 44 year-old Emmanuel Macron on this historic re-election. This is such an inspiration and reminder to all the young people across the world that it’s doable!. Going forward, France is a strategic ally and a key player in addressing global challenges,” he said.

Macron had described the final days of his re-election campaign as a “Battle for Europe” against the eurosceptic Le Pen.

The international media reported that Macron “will use his win to bolster his push for an increased European Union defence project, closer EU collaboration on immigration and more regulation to counter the weight of giant tech platforms such as Google.”

France holds the rotating European council presidency until the end of June.

The French leader had also framed the choice between himself and Le Pen as “a referendum on Europe, ecology and secularism” and said the far-right leader’s demands for EU treaty change would have seen France pushed out of the bloc.

He called her a “climate-sceptic” and said her plan to ban the Muslim headscarf from all public places, including the street would breach the French constitution and religious liberties, and would spark “a civil war”.