Relief dominates in the international community. Foreign leaders and politicians have welcomed the “rejection of the extreme right” or the “maturity of political forces” during the legislative elections in France, which saw the left-wing alliance come out on top ahead of the presidential camp and the extreme right. Here are the main reactions:
Spain
Socialist Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez welcomed the fact that France and the United Kingdom had opted for a “rejection of the extreme right and a firm commitment to the social left.”
“This week, two of the largest countries in Europe have chosen the same path as Spain a year ago,” wrote Pedro Sanchez in a message on the social network X after the French and British legislative elections.
Germany
A leader of the Social Democratic Party (SPD) of German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said on Sunday that “the worst” had been “avoided” with the disappointing score of the extreme right in the French elections, from which Emmanuel Macron emerged in his eyes “politically weakened”.
“The worst has been avoided, the RN (National Rally) cannot form a government majority” after the legislative elections, declared to the press group Funke Nils Schmid, head of foreign policy issues for the SPD parliamentary group in the House of Representatives. President Macron “is politically weakened” by this election because his camp only came second, behind the left, losing a significant number of seats in parliament, he continued.
Poland
Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk said the predicted defeat of the French far-right in parliamentary elections made Warsaw “happy” and would bring “disappointment” to Russia and “relief” to Ukraine.
“In Paris enthusiasm, in Moscow disappointment, in kyiv relief. Enough to be happy in Warsaw,” wrote former EU chief Tusk on X.
At the head of a broad centrist and pro-European coalition, Donald Tusk seized power from the nationalist PiS party in Poland last October.
Venezuela
Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro congratulated the “New Popular Front that won a great historic victory in the legislative elections in France” on Sunday. “Greetings to the French people, to the social movements and their popular forces, for this important civic day that strengthens unity and peace,” he wrote on X.
Brazil
Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva on Sunday hailed the triumph “against extremism” and the “maturity of political forces” in France after the left held back the far right in legislative elections.
“Very happy with the demonstration of greatness and maturity of the political forces of France who have united against extremism,” the left-wing leader declared on the social network X.