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Most Italian leaders hail Macron victory

Xinhua, May 8, 2017 Adjust font size:

Most Italian leaders on Monday hailed Emmanuel Macron's victory in the French presidential election, while euroskeptics deplored it.

In a run-off vote held Sunday, the pro-EU candidate took just over 66 percent of the vote, beating rightwing Marine Le Pen who garnered almost 34 percent.

"Your election constitutes proof of the confidence for the future and a signal of adhering to the ideal of continental integration," Italian President Sergio Mattarella wrote to the French president-elect, "France and Italy are now called upon to make a decisive, concrete and far-sighted contribution to the fundamental process of re-launching our common European home."

"Hurray Macron is president, there is hope for Europe," tweeted Italian Prime Minister Paolo Gentiloni of the center-left Democratic Party.

"Macron's victory writes an extraordinary page of hope for France and Europe," tweeted Democratic Party chief and future prime ministerial candidate Matteo Renzi.

"Let's see him (Macron) at work and whether he will really keep his commitments," commented Deputy Lower House Speaker Luigi Di Maio in comments carried by Italian news agency Ansa.

Di Maio is the likely prime minister candidate for the populist euroskeptic Five Star Movement, the current leading party in Italy.

On the center-right of the political spectrum, ex-prime minister and media mogul Silvio Berlusconi said Macron's victory is "a good thing" for Italian exports and signals "a common desire to rebuild Europe."

The chief of the rightwing, anti-immigrant Northern League Matteo Salvini took to opportunity to slam Berlusconi, who may or may not become his ally in the next general election to be held by spring 2018. Enditem