- Title: Russia reacts to first round of French presidential election results
- Date: 24th April 2017
- Summary: MOSCOW, RUSSIA (APRIL 24, 2017) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF KREMLIN STAR ON KREMLIN TOWER (SOUNDBITE) (Russian) MOSCOW RESIDENT, SONYA, SAYING: "Of course my sympathy is with Marine Le Pen, she seems to be supporting Russia, so maybe our relations (with France) will be better." PEOPLE WALKING TOWARDS RED SQUARE, ST. BASIL'S CATHEDRAL IN BACKGROUND VIEW OF MANEZH SQUARE (SOUNDBITE) (Russian) MOSCOW RESIDENT, SERGEI, SAYING: "If we compare (Marine Le Pen) with Trump... During his pre-election debates Trump has also said he would be strengthening relations with Russia. (Marine) Le Pen also talks about it, but I am afraid it can end up being the opposite. Therefore I think Macron is predictable for Russia, I think he will win in the second round, he will get support of other parties which were outsiders in these elections." VIEW OF KREMLIN AND HISTORY MUSEUM (SOUNDBITE) (Russian) MOSCOW RESIDENT, LIUBOV, SAYING: "I think (relations) with Russia will remain friendly as before. I think that elections taking place in one country should not affect other countries. This is my opinion." VARIOUS OF PEOPLE WALKING ON MANEZH SQUARE
- Embargoed: 8th May 2017 11:09
- Keywords: Russia France presidential election vote result Marine Le Pen Emmanuel Macron
- Location: MOSCOW, RUSSIA AND VARIOUS LOCATIONS
- City: MOSCOW, RUSSIA AND VARIOUS LOCATIONS
- Country: Russia
- Topics: Government/Politics,Elections/Voting
- Reuters ID: LVA0016DRDF0N
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: Moscow residents said on Wednesday (April 24) they favour far-right leader Marine Le Pen over centrist Emmanuel Macron, because she has expressed support for Russia in the past.
"Of course my sympathy is with Marine Le Pen, she seems to be supporting Russia, so maybe our relations (with France) will be better," said Sonya, a Moscow resident.
Centrist Emmanuel Macron took a big step toward the French presidency on Sunday (April 23) by winning the first round of voting and qualifying for a May 7 runoff alongside far-right leader Marine Le Pen.
Though Macron, 39, is a comparative political novice who has never held elected office, new opinion polls on Sunday had him easily winning the final clash against the 48-year-old Le Pen.
Sergei from Moscow said he does not rule out that Le Pen, who has repeatedly visited Russia and met with Vladimir Putin in the Kremlin at the end of March, could change her friendly rhetoric about Russia as the U.S. President Donald Trump had done: "During his pre-election debates Trump has also said he would be strengthening relations with Russia. (Marine) Le Pen also talk about it, but I am afraid it can end up being the opposite."
Sunday's outcome is a huge defeat for the two center-right and center-left groupings that have dominated French politics for 60 years, and also reduces the prospect of an anti-establishment shock on the scale of Britain's vote last June to quit the European Union and the election of Donald Trump as U.S. president. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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