“Juncker congratulated Emmanuel Macron on his result in the first round and wished him all the best for the next round,” Margaritis Schinas said on Twitter.

Underlining broad support for Macron among leaders of the European Union institutions in Brussels, EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini from the Italian centre-left added her congratulations to those of Juncker, a centre-right former prime minister of Luxembourg.

“To see the flags of France and the EU hailing Emmanuel Macron’s result shows hope and the future of our generation,” tweeted Mogherini, 43, after the 39-year-old Macron’s first-round victory speech to supporters was broadcast on television.

(Reporting by Alastair Macdonald; editing by Alexander Smith)