French Leaders Keep Health Hush-Hush

Nicolas Sarkozy has left the building

(NEWSER) - France today installed Socialist Francois Hollande as its new president for the next five years, replacing conservative Nicolas Sarkozy with a mandate to ease up on the austerity measures with which Europe has fought its economic crisis. Hollande, the first Socialist to have access to France's nuke codes in 17 years, promptly called for "compromise" in Germany's stripped down approach to the crisis, reports the BBC . He'll name a prime minister and fly to Berlin this afternoon to face the music—and Angela Merkel, who supported Sarkozy—there. More»

...But François Hollande might be even more simpatico with Obama administration

(NEWSER) - France's election was something of a can't-lose proposition for the Obama administration. On the one hand, the US isn't pleased to see the backside of Nicolas Sarkozy, an ally so steadfast that in France he was sometimes called "Sarko the American." Sarkozy, after all, was in lockstep with the US on Iran, Libya, and other foreign policy issues. Incoming president François Hollande isn't likely to be nearly as accommodating in that arena, the New York Times reports. More»

President-elect has a packed first 40 days

(NEWSER) - Following last night’s victory over Nicolas Sarkozy , Francois Hollande will have to jump right in to his new role—he will be sworn in as France’s president next Tuesday, the BBC notes. What does his election mean?

• Hollande has vowed to renegotiate the eurozone budget treaty Sarkozy championed along with German Chancellor Angela Merkel, but the German government today is trying to cut that off at the pass, calling it “not possible.”
• Though Hollande's election has fueled hope among many French hungry for jobs, economic growth, and the end of austerity, he faces the same debt problems Sarkozy did. Der Spiegel notes that Hollande knows just how tough is the job ahead of him: Rather than appearing celebratory last night, the unsmiling victor “seemed tired, weak, and overwhelmed,” the paper reports.

Socialist looks to have won with 52%-53% of vote

(NEWSER) - Socialist Francois Hollande looks like the likely winner of France's tightly-contested runoff election today, according to early exit polls, defeating conservative incumbent Nicolas Sarkozy. Hollande edged out Sarkozy in the first round of voting, and early returns show him up with between 52% and 53% of the vote. Sarkozy, meanwhile, has between 46.7% and 48% of the results, reports the Wall Street Journal . "It's going to be a long day," Hollande said at his polling station, according to the BBC . "It's up to the French people to decide if it's going to be a good day." Voting ends at 2pm Eastern. More»

Far-right leader doesn't get behind Francois Hollande or Nicolas Sarkozy

(AP) - Far-right leader Marine Le Pen is refusing to endorse either candidate in France's presidential runoff and says she will cast a blank protest ballot. Le Pen, who came in a strong third place in the first round of voting April 22, told her supporters at a big rally in Paris to "vote according to your conscience" and said, "I will cast a blank ballot," explaining that she could not endorse Nicolas Sarkozy or Socialist challenger Francois Hollande. Polls favor Hollande, but Sarkozy hopes to win over Le Pen's voters for Sunday's runoff. More»