France’s first socialist leader in nearly 20 years attends ceremony at the Elysée Palace before flying to Berlin François Hollande, France’s first Socialist leader in nearly 20 years, was sworn in at the Elysée Palace on Tuesday in a deliberately low-key ceremony ahead of a meeting in Berlin with the German chancellor, Angela Merkel, at which he will begin his quest to temper Europe’s austerity drive . In his first speech as president, Hollande promised a new way forward for Europe and economic recovery in France, vowing a five-year term that would be fair and “just”. He called for France to “unite”, saying he would bring the country much-needed “calm” and reconciliation and fight against divisions and racism. He said he was aware of the challenge that awaited him and the difficult conditions: weak growth, high unemployment, a France that is not competitive, and a Europe struggling to find economic growth.

Keep reading:
Europe