Lightning strikes Hollande’s plane on way to Berlin

There’s a metaphor in here somewhere: As spanking-new French President Francois Hollande headed to Germany on Tuesday for a possibly contentious meeting with German Chancellor Angela Merkel to discuss how to save the Eurozone, his plane was struck by lightning. (more…)

Ayrault Named French Premier

French President François Hollande appointed Jean-Marc Ayrault as prime minister, saying the tandem would return to a traditional French division of power: a president who sets the broad agenda and a premier who implements it. (more…)

Get to know Hollande, the new French president

He likes to call himself “Mr. Normal,” which is a decided change from the many other epithets, like “Marshmallow man,” that have been tossed his way over the years.

But Socialist leader Francois Hollande, who is set to become the next president of France (more…)

Markets could stumble after France, Greece votes

Financial markets will likely stumble this week after elections in Greece and France cast a pall of uncertainty over Europe’s efforts to solve its debt crisis. (more…)

Why Europe fears Hollande ?

France’s presidential election has offered a glimpse of Europe in revolutionary mood. Yet it would be a mistake to draw the conclusion that the Fifth Republic is poised to elect a revolutionary president. (more…)

Sarkozy Struggles to Land Knock-Out Blow in Debate

President Nicolas Sarkozy struggled to make inroads against Socialist challenger Francois Hollande as the only debate in France’s presidential election descended into an exchange of insults and accusations.

Behind in the polls with the clock ticking (more…)

Sarkozy makes impassioned plea for votes

Nicolas Sarkozy mounted a defiant show of force in Paris on Tuesday, wresting the spotlight from traditional trade union May Day marches and vowing to fight to the last against François Hollande, his socialist challenger in Sunday’s presidential election. (more…)

Sarkozy threatens to sue over alleged Libyan financial support

French President Nicolas Sarkozy on Monday said he would file a law suit against news website Mediapart, over allegations by the news portal that the incumbent president received financial support from Libya during his presidential campaign five years ago.

Speaking to the state-run France 2 TV channel, Sarkozy, who is fighting for his political life (more…)

The rather dangerous Monsieur Hollande

IT IS half of the Franco-German motor that drives the European Union. It has been the swing country in the euro crisis, poised between a prudent north and spendthrift south, and between creditors and debtors. And it is big. If France were the next euro-zone country to get into trouble, the single currency’s very survival would be in doubt.
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France’s Sarkozy reaches out to far-right voters

French President Nicolas Sarkozy courted far-right voters Monday in advance of a May 6 runoff against Socialist Francois Hollande, who won the most support in the first round of France’s presidential elections. (more…)