"Being a patriot and a European, I will express my confidence in Emanuel Macron on May 7. France should remain European," Barnier posted on Twitter.
Patriote et européen, je ferai confiance le 7 mai à Emmanuel Macron. La France doit rester européenne!
— Michel Barnier (@MichelBarnier) 23 апреля 2017 г.
On Sunday, French citizens cast their votes in the French presidential election choosing among 11 nominees to become the country's next president. With 97% of votes counted, French far-right National Front presidential hopeful Marine Le Pen has received 21.42 percent of votes, while her rival Macron of the En Marche! movement is leading in the first election tour with 23.86 percent.
Le Pen stressed during her election campaign the idea of returning "national sovereignty" to France and holding a referendum on the country's membership in the European Union if she wins the election.
Centrist Macron seeks to create the conditions allowing French citizens to feel confident in their homeland and the country's ability to respond to the existing challenges.