Italian PM, Emmanuel Macron set to join hands for Europe's development

Rome [Italy], Apr. 25 (ANI): French presidential candidate Emmanuel Macron and Italian Prime Minister Paolo Gentiloni have expressed their desire to work together for the benefit of European prosperity,. Gentiloni held a telephone conversation on Monday with Macron following his win in first round of the election, and both sides agreed to jointly work toward European prosperity, Sputnik reports quoting the Italian government press service. The Italian prime minister expressed satisfaction with the results of the first round of the presidential election in France, and the sides agreed to work together "in order to put Europe on top of economic challenges and social demands of citizens," the press service said. On Sunday, Macron and leader of far-right National Front (FN) party Marine Le Pen emerged as the two top contenders in the first round of the election, set to face each other in the run-off on May 7. According to the French Interior Ministry, Macron won the first round with 24.01 percent of the vote, while Le Pen came in second with 21.3 percent of the vote. Though Macron, 39, is a comparative political novice who has never held elected office, opinion polls in the run-up to the ballot have consistently seen him easily winning the final clash against the 48-year-old Le Pen. (ANI)