Obama backs Macron in last-minute intervention in French election

[PHDNM]

Obama backs Macron in last-minute intervention in French election

Former US president says centrist, who faces far-right Marine Le Pen in runoff on Sunday, appeals to hopes not fears

“I’m not planning to get involved in many elections now that I don’t have to run for office but the French election is very important to the future of France and the values that we care so much about.”

Obama said he supported Macron because he appealed to “people’s hopes and not their fears” and ended, in French, with the words “Vive la France.”

https://www.theguardian.com/world/20...n-intervention

[Ülev]

Polish foreign ministry blasts France’s Macron over latest comment
02.05.2017 10:58
Poland’s foreign ministry has slammed “wrong and inappropriate” remarks by French presidential candidate Emmanuel Macron, who is reported to have mentioned Polish ruling party leader Jarosław Kaczyński among the “friends and allies” of Marine Le Pen, the far-right contender for the Elysee Palace.

Macron listed Kaczyński in this context alongside Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban and Russian President Vladimir Putin, according to media reports in Poland.

Addressing an audience at a May Day rally in Paris on Monday, Macron was quoted by French media as saying: "The friends of Ms Le Pen are the regimes of Mr Orban, Kaczyński, Putin."

“Every day they break many democratic freedoms and thus the rules of democracy,” Macron added, as quoted by Poland’s TV Republika.

The Polish ministry on Tuesday issued a statement to say that “the government of the Republic of Poland is not an ally of Ms. Marine Le Pen. Indicating an alleged alliance between Madame Le Pen and the chairman of [Poland’s ruling conservative] Law and Justice (PiS) [party] is a manipulation.”

'Wrong and inappropriate'

The ministry also said that “counting Jarosław Kaczyński among the group of ‘Le Pen’s friends who are violating many freedoms’ is wrong and inappropriate.”

According to the ministry, “values and rules of free democracy are observed in Poland.”

“The fundamental values that have been present in the Polish political culture and tradition for hundreds of years include respect and tolerance for people who have different political views or a different faith,” the ministry said in its statement.

“We would also like to recall that anyone who is familiar with the history and the domestic political scene in Poland has no right to accuse Poles of sympathies for imperial Russia, " the ministry added.

The Foreign Ministry also said it expects that “the future president of France – regardless of which candidate wins the election – will do an in-depth analysis and clarify any possible doubts in bilateral contacts before making judgments about other states’ policies.”

'Unacceptable' comments

Last week, Polish Foreign Minister Witold Waszczykowski slammed "unacceptable" comments by Macron, who, in a previous statement that angered officials in Warsaw, said he would push for EU sanctions against Poland.

Waszczykowski said at the time that Macron "violated European standards and the principles of friendship with Poland".

Macron said on Thursday, April 27, that if he is elected, France would argue for the European Union to introduce sanctions against Poland for “violating all the European Union’s principles”, according to the Voix du Nord daily.

Speaking to the French paper after a meeting at a Whirlpool plant in the northern city of Amiens, whose workers were striking in protest of the whitegoods manufacturer’s decision to move some of its production to Poland, Macron also said that Poland was playing on differences in labour costs, which “we cannot tolerate”.

But Waszczykowski said Macron’s statement called into question the very basis of the European common market, according to the wPolityce.pl website.

Polish parliamentary Speaker Marek Kuchciński said sanctions against Poland were “a fantasy”, adding that Macron’s statement was part of his election campaign.

As French voters prepare to head to the polls on Sunday, opinion polls point to Macron winning the second round of the country’s presidential election with around 60 percent of the vote. (str/pk)

Source: TV Republika, PAP, Le Point
tags: hp polskie radio, Macron Emmanuel, Polish-French relations

http://thenews.pl/1/10/Artykul/30512...latest-comment

why is he doing this? France has more to lose, like with Caracals
polish politicians start talk about it openly

Poland breaks off negotiations with Airbus Helicopters over military tender
05.10.2016 07:08
Poland’s Development Ministry has ended negotiations over an offset deal with Airbus Helicopters, which had been one of the conditions for Poland’s purchase of 50 aircraft.
“Differences in the negotiating stances of both sides prevented us from arriving at a compromise, as a result of which conducting further talks is now pointless,” the Ministry said in a statement.

The previous Civic Platform-led government chose to purchase 50 ‘Eurocopter’ EC725 helicopters for a price of PLN 13.5 billion (EUR 3.2 billion) in April 2015, rejecting rival offers from the Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation and AgustaWestland PZL Świdnik.

http://www.thenews.pl/1/12/Artykul/2...ilitary-tender

[LoLeL]

It would be surprising if Macron's fate becomes similar to Hillary's. Curse of Obama!

[DarkSecret]

Now nobody will vote for Macron. Stupid Obama.

[Svipdag]

I see that that little creep still thinks he's someone important ! I wonder how long it will take for him to learn that has-beens have no clout ?

[Smitty]

Well, frogs, now you know how not to vote.