Nigel Farage bemoans Macron’s French presidency victory as ‘five more years of failure’ and claims Marine Le Pen can win in 2022 if she ‘sticks in there’
EX-UKIP leader Nigel Farage has bemoaned centrist Emmanuel Macron's victory in the French presidential elections, saying it amounts to "five more years of failure" for the nation.
Farage, who had backed Marine Le Pen's bid for presidency, said Macron's election will also lead to "more power to the EU and a continuation of open borders".
He said: "Macron offers five more years of failure, more power to the EU and a continuation of open borders.
"If Marine sticks in there, she can win in 2022."
Before the first results were announced, Farage had described Le Pen as the "real deal".
"She is a proper, genuine Eurosceptic and under her the French National Front is not about race but it is about sovereignty," he told ITV's Peston on Sunday.
Prime minister Theresa May has also weighed in on Macron's win in a statement, offering "warm" congratulations.
A Downing Street spokesman said: "The Prime Minister warmly congratulates President-elect Macron on his election success.
"France is one of our closest allies and we look forward to working with the new president on a wide range of shared priorities.”
And Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn said: "I am delighted that the French people have decisively rejected Le Pen’s politics of hate.”
Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon took to Twitter to offer her congratulations.
She wrote: "Vive La France. Congratulations to new President, Emmanuel Macron on his decisive victory over the hard right."
Her message was echoed by German chancellor Angela Merkel's chief of staff, who also said "Vive la France".
They added: "Vive la France, Vive L'Europe! or Long live France, long live Europe!"
US president Donald Trump has said he is looking forward to working with Macron in future.
Offering his congratulations, he tweeted: "Congratulations to Emmanuel Macron on his big win today as the next President of France.
"I look very much forward to working with him!"
In an official White House statement, press secretary Sean Spicer said: "We congratulate President-elect Macron and the people of France on their successful presidential election.
"We look forward to working with the new President and continuing our close cooperation with the French government."
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Meanwhile, Liberal Democrat leader Tim Farron said Macron's victory has kept the far-right "wolves from our door".
He added Le Pen's defeat was not just a victory for France, but also for the "liberal values we hold dear".
He said: “A National Front win would have posed a grave threat to our national interest.
"Emmanuel Macron has kept the wolves from our door, but we must never be complacent in the fight against racism, fascism and the far-right.
"The liberal values of tolerance, openness and free trade that triumphed in France today can triumph in Britain too.
“Together we can change Britain’s future, stand up to Theresa May’s hard Brexit agenda and keep our country open, tolerant and united."
Mayor of London Sadiq Khan, who visited Macron in Paris in March, also commented on his win: "The French people have chosen hope over fear and unity over division."
While outgoing French president Francois Hollande said Macron's victory shows the majority of French voters support the European Union.
Le Pen had wanted to pull the country out of the bloc and Euro in a bid to restore French sovereignty - views which put her at odds with her pro-European opponent.
Hollande said he had called Macron to congratulate him on his victory.
Farage's reaction comes just hours after the former Ukip boss fawned over French presidential wannabe Marine Le Pen, saying she is "fit" and has "lost weight".
When asked whether it was true she could drink him under the table, he told ITV's Peston on Sunday: "That was true, but she has cleaned her act up.
"She's lost weight, and she's looking pretty fit. But there was a time where that was true."
And he denied that she was an extremist, but said she would be better for Brexit than Macron would be.
Mr Farage speculated that she would be the French President - but not until 2022.
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