There was relief in the European Commission at Emmanuel Macron’s first-place finish in the first round of the French presidential election, with Jean-Claude Juncker congratulating the centrist candidate and wishing him good luck for the runoff on May 7.

The Commission’s chief spokesperson Margaritis Schinas was also happy.

“The choice was rather simple, straightforward. Those who defended what Europe stands for and those who simply want to destroy Europe,” he said.

Asked by reporters to clarify the Commission’s line on the French elections, Schinas said there were “many candidates, one choice.”

Schinas repeated earlier statements that French elections are of central importance to Europe and said the Commission’s office in Paris would be fact-checking statements on the EU made by the candidates.

The Commission doesn’t normally publicly back a candidate before an election is over, and it seems that the French election is an exception to the rule. Asked if the Commission would be taking sides in the British election on June 8, Schinas said it wasn’t going to happen.

“In the U.K. general election at stake is how the Brits want to be governed for the next five years,” Schinas said.

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