European Council President Donald Tusk warned on Tuesday of the risk of hostile foreign meddling in European Parliament elections in May, urging a swift start to the "European renaissance" that France's Emmanuel Macron had called for.
"There are external anti-European forces which are seeking - openly or secretly - to influence the democratic choices of the Europeans," Tusk told a news conference, naming the "Leave" result in Britain's 2016 Brexit referendum as one such example.
"And it may again be the case with the European Parliament election in May ...
"Do not allow political parties that are founded by external forces hostile to Europe to decide on key priorities of the EU and the leadership of European institutions."
Tusk also said he fully supported the way of thinking about Europe presented by Macron ahead of the election.
The 705 new members of the European Parliament elected in the May 23-26 election will help formulate new EU laws over the next five years and choose the successor to Jean-Claude Juncker, head of the European Commission, the bloc's executive arm.
Opinion polls show Eurosceptic populists are projected to make gains in European Parliamentary elections in May but mainstream political groups ought to retain their majority, albeit with increasing signs of fragmentation.
The European Commission earlier this year urged advertising firms and US internet giants like Facebook to intensify the fight against disinformation campaigns from suspects like Russia, ahead of the May elections.
