World Jewish Congress President Ronald S. Lauder and the president of the French Jewish umbrella organization CRIF, Francis Kalifat, congratulated Emmanuel Macron on his election as French president.
Lauder expressed confidence that the new French leader will continue to have close and positive ties with the French Jewish community and fight all forms of anti-Semitism, whether from the extreme left or the extreme right.
“On behalf of the World Jewish Congress, I congratulate Mr. Macron on his tremendous victory and know that he will work to support the State of Israel against its enemies in the international arena, in all its constructs, be it from the extreme left or the extreme right.
"I am looking forward to sitting down with Mr. Macron to continue the positive and constructive relationship we have had with his predecessors.
"France has been a true friend of the Jewish people in recent years, and I know this will continue under the new president.
"Mazal Tov, Monsieur Macron, I am looking forward to our future friendship," said Lauder.
French Jewish community leader welcomes election result
The CRIF, France's Jewish umbrella body affiliated with the WJC, also issued a statement congratulating Macron. CRIF expressed "relief that the Front National obtained less than 35 percent of the votes cast. This result testifies to the attachment of the French people to Republican values, and this despite the context of security and economic issues, the organization said. However, it recalled that continued vigilance "of all Republican forces is needed to contain the advance of populist and xenophobic forces in France."
CRIF President Francis Kalifat, who is also a vice-president of the World Jewish Congress, called on the newly elected French president to continue the efforts of his predecessors in the fight against terrorism, but also against anti-Semitism and racism.
