French chief rabbi joins multi-faith clergy endorsement of Macron

France’s chief rabbi joins Muslim and Christian faith leaders in an unusual endorsement of the centrist presidential candidate Emannuel Macron against the far-right hopeful Marine Le Pen.

Haim Korsia’s office is issuing the endorsement a day after a remarkably acrimonious televised debate between the two candidates ahead of the May 7 runoff. Titled “Call to Vote for Mr. Emmanuel Macron,” it was co-signed by Pastor François Clavairoly, president of the Protestant Federation of France, and Anouar Kbibech, president of the French Council of the Muslim Faith.

A combination of video grabs from an AFP video taken on May 3, 2017 during a live broadcast televised debate shows French presidential election candidate for the far-right Front National (FN) party, Marine Le Pen (L) and French presidential election candidate for the En Marche ! movement Emmanuel Macron talking during a face to face debate ahead of the second round of the French presidential election. (AFP PHOTO / STRINGER)
A combination of video grabs from an AFP video taken on May 3, 2017 during a live broadcast televised debate shows French presidential election candidate for the far-right Front National (FN) party, Marine Le Pen (L) and French presidential election candidate for the En Marche ! movement Emmanuel Macron talking during a face to face debate ahead of the second round of the French presidential election. (AFP PHOTO / STRINGER)

An explicit show of support for any particular candidate is highly unusual for all three clergymen.

“Fully aware that our roles require us to be non-partisan, we are, however, first and foremost responsible citizens and therefore openly are calling for a vote in favor of Emmanuel Macron,” the three men write.

— JTA

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