What does Emmanuel Macron mean for Brexit?

The election of Emmanuel Macron has sparked intense scrutiny on the other side of the Channel concerning his views on Brexit and how he plans to approach negotiations with Theresa May.

The new president will play a key role – so it is little surprise Mrs May was very quick to congratulate him on his landslide victory against Marine Le Pen.

Mr Macron has presented himself as a staunch defender of the EU – he recently accused Boris Johnson of being responsible for the “turmoil” created by the EU referendum vote, describing Brexit itself as a “crime”.

But the newly elected president will not seek to “punish” Britain during the talks, according to one of his closest aides.

Jean Pisani-Ferry, chief economic adviser to Mr Macron, told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme that the president-elect did not want to see a hard Brexit but insisted he would be “tough” in negotiations.

He said: “I don’t think anybody has an interest in a hard Brexit.

“I think we need to build a new relationship.

“There are interests on both sides. There is a negotiation to be carried out.

“There is a mutual interest in keeping prosperity that exists, that has been built over the years from lots of economic and various relationships, also the security and defence relationship is extremely important in the kind of environment we are in and which is a very dangerous environment.

MORE: What does Emmanuel Macron’s victory mean for Brexit?
MORE: Hanover evacuates 50,000 after three giant WW2 bombs found on building site

“So we have to keep all that, at the same time we have divergent interests on some aspects of the negotiation, so there will be a tough negotiation and he (Macron) will be tough.”

Mr Pisani-Ferry’s assurances come despite Mr Macron declaring he would “defend Europe” during his victory speech last night.

He has previously stated he would not give Britain an easy Brexit deal, branding Brexit “a crime”.

Mr Macron told March’s edition of Monocle magazine: “Boris Johnson enjoys giving flamboyant speeches but has no strategic vision; the turmoil he created the day after Brexit proves it.

“Nigel Farage and Mr Johnson are responsible for this crime: they sailed the ship into battle and jumped overboard at the moment of crisis.

“Theresa May has handled it but what has been happening since then? On the geopolitical level as well as on the financial, realignment and submission to the US. What is going to happen is not ‘taking back control’: it’s servitude.”

The new president will now play a key role in Britain’s exit from the EU – so it was no surprise Theresa May was quick to congratulate him on his win.

Downing Street stressed that France is one of the UK’s closest allies and the Prime Minister looked forward to working with him “on a wide range of shared priorities”.

Brexit was discussed “briefly” during a phone call between Mrs May and Mr Macron on Sunday evening and the Prime Minister was said to have “reiterated that the UK wants a strong partnership”.

Top pic: PA