vendredi 5 mai 2017
More Proof That Obama Isn't Even a Little Bit Done With Politics
Former President Barack Obama has made it clear that he's most definitely still invested in politics - both here and abroad. On Thursday, May 4, Obama officially endorsed French presidential candidate Emmanuel Macron, the centrist candidate running against far-right leader Marine Le Pen. This comes just one day after the final debate between Macron and Le Pen.
"I have admired the campaign that Emmanuel Macron has run," Obama said in a Facebook video posted on Macron's official page. "He has stood up for liberal values, he put forward a vision for the important role that France plays in Europe and around the world. And he is committed to a better future for the French people. He appeals to people's hopes and not their fears."
The current presidential election in France shares some striking similarities to the 2016 election in the United States, with Le Pen sharing many of the same far-right views on issues like immigration as President Donald Trump. While it's uncommon for a former United States president to endorse a candidate in an international election, it speaks volumes that Obama has publicly spoken out against Le Pen.
"I'm not planning to get involved in many elections now that I don't have to run for office again, but the French election is very important to the future of France and to the values that we care so much about," Obama said. "Because of how important this election is, I also want you to know that I am supporting Emmanuel Macron to lead you forward."
Although President Trump said he was not officially endorsing a candidate in the French election, he has spoken about supporting Le Pen more broadly, telling the Associated Press she is "strongest on borders, and she's the strongest on what's been going on in France."
Le Pen's views are strongly anti-immigrant and anti-Muslim. She comes from a powerful family - her father was a former leader of the far-right National Front party she heads - and has made it clear that if elected, she would attempt to pull France out of the European Union, seek to ban Muslim women from wearing headscarves in public, and end free education for children of undocumented immigrants.
The final runoff vote is on Sunday.
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