France's Macron says EU nominations positive for Europe

French President Emmanuel Macron said on Tuesday that the nominations for the European Union's top posts were "positive and consensual" and offered a fresh start for the bloc.

"This accord is the fruit of a deep Franco-German entente," Macron told a news conference.

Macron defended the decision to appoint German Defence Minister Ursula von der Leyen to head up the Commission and IMF chief Christine Lagarde as the new European Central Bank governor.