Former French President Nicolas Sarkozy announced on Wednesday that he would vote for the "En Marche" candidate Emmanuel Macron in the second round of the presidential election.

Sarkozy, who has not spoken publicly since the results of the first round of voting, said the objective is to block extreme-right National Front candidate Marine Le Pen.

"I consider that the election of Le Pen and the implementation of her program would lead to very serious consequences for our country and for the French," he wrote in a message published on Facebook, "I will vote therefore in the second round of the presidential election for Macron. It is a choice of responsibility which is no way counts as support for his program."

The former head of state considered that the legislative elections in June would be the occasion for the French to make "the choice for a veritable power sharing" in voting for candidates for the right and center put forward by the Republicans party.

"I decided some months ago to withdraw from active political life. I don't have the intention to come back on that decision," Sarkozy said.

He called on "all the leaders of the right and center to gather the energy, talent and competencies" against a situation that he found "exceptional."

"Every other behavior would be irresponsible. Division is not an option when faced with the extreme gravity of the situation in France," he said.

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