Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., congratulated the people of France for rejecting "racism and xenophobia" following the projected presidential election win for Emmanuel Macron.

"Congratulations to the people of France who today, by an overwhelming vote, rejected racism and xenophobia," Sanders tweeted Sunday afternoon after polling showed Macron as the victor with about two-thirds of the vote, beating out National Front leader Marine Le Pen.

Congratulations to the people of France who today, by an overwhelming vote, rejected racism and xenophobia. — Bernie Sanders (@BernieSanders) May 7, 2017



Le Pen and Macron had very different ideologies, with Macron seen in some circles as a centrist who wants to stay in the European Union. Le Pen worked to renew the image of a party with a history of anti-Semitism and racism.

Like President Trump in the U.S., Le Pen played up the need for stronger border control and favors the kind of anti-immigration rhetoric that helped catapult Trump to the White House. Le Pen's support base strongly favored of an exit from the European Union, dubbed a "Frexit," following the United Kingdom's vote last summer approving a "Brexit."

After Trump was elected in November, Sanders said in a statement that he and other progressives would "vigorously oppose Trump" if he embraced "racist, sexist, xenophobic and anti-environment policies" as president. Sanders has since been very critical of a number of Trump's policies, including his continued push for a border wall with Mexico and his "racist" travel ban.