Global leaders wish Macron on victory

London, May 8 (IANS) British Prime Minister Theresa May and US President Donald Trump were a few of the global leaders who congratulated Centrist candidate Emmanuel Macron as he was declared projected winner in the French Presidential elections' crucial runoff on Sunday.

While May "warmly" congratulated Macron in a statement from her office, Trump took to twitter to wish the president elect, BBC reported.

"Congratulations to Emmanuel Macron on his big win today as the next President of France. I look very much forward to working with him!" Trump tweeted.

Outgoing French President Francois Hollande also wished Macron on twitter: "All my wishes of success for our country.

Hollande, who had backed Macron in the second round, later called his former economic adviser and economy minister to congratulate him on his win.

"His large victory confirms that a very great majority of our fellow citizens wanted to rally to the values of the Republic and mark their attachment to the European Union as well as to France's open attitude to the world," Hollande was quoted as saying.

"I expressed to him all my wishes for the success of our country because the highest stake is it to draw together and work constructively to keep France on the track of progress and social justice," he said.

European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker congratulated on Macron's election victory, saying he was happy that "the French have chosen European future."

European Council President Donald Tusk also congratulated Macron, saying the French have chosen "liberty, equality, and fraternity."

German chancellor's chief of staff Peter Altmaier said over Twitter Macron's success has sent a strong signal for "common values" and Franco-German ties.

Meanwhile, far-left leader Jean-Luc M?lenchon fiercely criticised Le Pen and Hollande. Jean-Luc M?lenchon won almost a fifth of the vote in the first round, and he hasn't pulled his punches, with a message savaging both Marine Le Pen and the outgoing president, Fran?ois Hollande.

"France has rejected the extreme right as a 'foreign entity in our country', and has brought to an end 'the most lamentable presidency of the Fifth Republic'," Melenchon said.

While some people celebrated Macron's victory, French police had to fire teargas at a crowd of 500 anti-Macron and anti-LePen protesters at Menilmontant metro station in Paris.