Francois Hollande: The France’s first Socialist President sworn in

Posted by admin Africa & World Politics Wednesday, May 16th, 2012

Candidate for French socialist party (PS) primary vote for France’s 2012 presidential election Fran s Hollande waves next to his girlfriend Valerie Trierweiler (R) as he leaves a campaign visit in Voutezac, on October 15, 2011, south western France, on the eve of the vote’s second round. AFP PHOTO PIERRE ANDRIEU (Photo credit should read PIERRE ANDRIEU/AFP/GettyImages)

PARIS – Mr Francois Hollande (picture) was sworn in as France’s first Socialist President in 17 years in a brief ceremony yesterday ahead of a dash to Berlin to challenge German Chancellor Angela Merkel’s austerity prescription for Europe.

In his inaugural speech, Mr Hollande said he would seek to amend a European pact to add growth-boosting measures to deficit-cutting policies that critics say are dampening the beleaguered bloc’s growth prospects.

In a veiled swipe at outgoing President Nicolas Sarkozy, whom some faulted for being all-controlling and too impulsive, Mr Hollande said he would run a “dignified”, “simple” and “sober” presidency and ensure Parliament plays its full role.

He promised to fight financial speculation and “open a new path” in Europe. He has pushed back against a European budget-cutting pact championed by Ms Merkel and Mr Sarkozy.

Mr Hollande was officially sworn in as President after Mr Sarkozy greeted him on the steps of the Elysee presidential palace and took him inside to hand over France’s nuclear codes and other secret dossiers.

Anxious not to lose the “Mr Normal” image that appealed to voters, Mr Hollande had asked for the inauguration ceremony to be kept as low-key as possible. He invited only three dozen or so personal guests to join some 350 officials and neither his nor his partner Valerie Trierweiler’s children attended his swearing-in.

The new President left for the traditional inauguration drive in an open-topped car amid heavy rain. Soaked to the skin, Mr Hollande grinned at bystanders as his car crawled up the Champs Elysees avenue to the Arc du Triomphe, where he relit the flame at the memorial of the Unknown Soldier and laid a wreath.

The new French Prime Minister was also named yesterday: Mr Jean-Marc Ayrault, who has good contacts in Berlin. Other Cabinet members should be unveiled today, before Mr Hollande flies to Washington later this week to meet President Barack Obama and attend G-8 and NATO summits at Camp David and Chicago.

Mr Hollande was set to meet Ms Merkel in Berlin for a critical meeting on austerity and growth in Europe. As the heads of the two biggest economies in the euro zone, their relationship will be vital to the future of the European Union and its common currency.

“To overcome the crisis, Europe needs projects, solidarity and growth,” he said in his inaugural speech. “I will propose to our partners a new pact to combine the necessary reduction in public debt with essential economic stimulus.” Agencieswp_posts