Reelection bolsters France’s Macron as powerful player in EU

By SYLVIE CORBET
Associated Press

PARIS (AP) — French President Emmanuel Macron’s reelection has bolstered his standing as a senior player in Europe. Macron is now expected to push for strengthening the 27-nation bloc and throw all his weight behind efforts to end the war in Ukraine. He thanked French voters and vowed to lead a project for “a stronger Europe” in his victory speech Sunday evening. Macron is expected to head to Berlin in the coming days. Ukraine is at the top of the agenda for discussions with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz. Longtime German Chancellor Angela Merkel’s retirement and the United Kingdom’s 2020 exit from the bloc have positioned Macron to play a dominant role in the EU.