Sirisena congratulates new French President

President Maithripala Sirisena yesterday congratulated France’s centrist politician Emmanuel Macron on his presidential election victory, saying his election would provide a “great platform” for the two countries’ relations to prosper.

“Congratulations to Emmanuel Macron on your remarkable victory. It provides a great platform for relations between our nations to prosper,” President Sirisena said in a Twitter post.

The Foreign Affairs Ministry also congratulated Macron on being elected President of France, saying Sri Lanka looked forward to building stronger ties with the European nation. Macron, a 39-year-old former investment banker who decisively defeated nationalist Marine Le Pen, will be the youngest president in the 59-year history of France’s Fifth Republic.