French presidential hopeful Emmanuel Macron surprised many Wednesday by saying that a unilateral French recognition in a Palestinian state would lead to what he called regional "instability." Macron, head of the centrist En Marche party, made the remarks in an interview with the French Jewish radio station Radio J. The statement contradicts the policy of the French government, of which Macron was the spokesman before announcing his presidential bid. Macron told the radio station that unilaterally recognizing a Palestinian state "won't serve anyone's interests," adding that he believed the key to a successful Israeli-Palestinian peace process was "recognizing both states, with a balanced diplomatic effort aimed at achieving peace." Recent tracking polls show Macron in the lead ahead of the April 23 first presidential vote, with National Front leader Marine Le Pen coming in at a close second.
