Obama endorses French presidential candidate Macron

WASHINGTON — Former President Barack Obama endorsed a candidate in the race for France’s presidency on Thursday, taking his first dive back into international politics since leaving the White House in January.

French presidential candidate Emmanuel Macron released a video from Mr. Obama on Thursday morning with the former president touting his candidacy.

“I have admired the campaign that Emmanuel Macron has run,” Mr. Obama said. “He has stood up for liberal values; he put forward a vision for the important role that France plays in Europe and around the world; and he is committed to a better future for the French people. He appeals to people’s hopes, and not their fears.”

The independent, pro-business centrist Mr. Macron is facing far-right, populist candidate Marine Le Pen in Sunday’s runoff vote. Polls suggest Mr. Macron is well ahead, and National Front leaders are beginning to acknowledge that their candidate, Ms. Le Pen, may be headed for defeat after she failed to land the decisive blow she needs to overhaul her opponent in Wednesday’s television debate, which was being called a brutal political confrontation that France had never before seen in real time.

Mr. Obama said he doesn’t plan to get involved often in political situations. “I’m not planning to get involved in many elections now that I don’t have to run for office again, but the French election is very important to the future of France and the values that we care so much about — because the success of France matters to the entire world,” he said.

Political scientist Dov H. Levin of Carnegie Mellon University called Mr. Obama’s endorsement unusual for a former president. Presidents like Bill Clinton have tried to personally influence elections in places like Russia and Israel while in office, but Mr. Levin said he has not come across an instance where a former president has offered an endorsement in a foreign leadership race like Mr. Obama.

Mr. Levin, who studies U.S. attempts to influence elections in other countries, said it is rare for a former president to have enough popularity or influence in a foreign country for his assistance to even be desired.

Mr. Obama’s endorsement came as allegations of fake news and hacking attempts dominated France’s tense campaign Thursday. Paris prosecutors launched a preliminary investigation Thursday into whether fake news is being used to influence the voting, as Mr. Macron and Ms. Le Pen rallied thousands at their last big campaign events — in opposite parts of the divided country.

On Thursday, Mr. Macron’s campaign filed suit against an unknown source “X” after Ms. Le Pen suggested during their debate Wednesday night that the former banker could have an offshore account.