Envoy to US Warns That France May Fall to Far-Fight if Macron's Policies Fail

French Ambassador to the United States Gerard Araud said Tuesday that French President-elect Emmanuel Macron will have to address concerns of French people in order to prevent the far-right politicians taking control over the country in the next elections.

WASHINGTON (Sputnik) — Macron will have to implement his policies and address French citizens’ concerns to prevent the far-right from taking control of the country in future elections, French Ambassador to the United States Gerard Araud said on Tuesday.

"Macron is facing an incredible challenge because if in the coming five years he is not responding to the concerns of our citizens, in five years the far-right may win," Araud said an in interview on CNN International.

Araud said France "dodged a major bullet" by electing Macron because his rival Marine Le Pen wanted to pull the country out of the European Union and the euro, which would have created major economic and political crises.

The French ambassador also remarked Macron’s election may have stopped the wave of populist nationalism in Europe, but that success would be temporary if Macron cannot implement reform policies while protecting French citizens and the economy.

However, Le Pen has already vowed to transform her National Front party, while Macron, the first independent candidate to win the presidency, ran under his own movement called En Marche! and has no political party.

Former French Prime Minister Manuel Valls backed Macron on Tuesday, saying he wants to stand in the June parliamentary election as as En Marche! candidate.

Results of the French Presidential Election

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