SPIEGEL ONLINE
- June 12, 2012
France's new Socialist President François Hollande looks set to have ample power to govern following his party's good showing in the first round of the French parliamentary election. German commentators warn that, given the low turnout and the challenges he faces, he should not get too confident. more...
SPIEGEL ONLINE
- May 15, 2012
François Hollande, sworn in as French president on Tuesday, will have no time to savor the moment. He will dash to Berlin to challenge Angela Merkel's austerity policy on Tuesday evening. Then he has to form a cabinet and honor his pledge to cut ministerial salaries. He urgently needs to score successes ahead of parliamentary elections in June. By Stefan Simons in Paris more...
SPIEGEL ONLINE
- May 07, 2012
With the election of François Hollande as French president, Nicolas Sarkozy is history -- as is the Merkozy duo in Berlin and Paris. German-French relations will have to be realigned. Given that the election has come in the midst of the euro crisis, Hollande and German Chancellor Angela Merkel will need to learn to get along quickly. By Philipp Wittrock more... [ Forum ]
SPIEGEL ONLINE
- May 07, 2012
Chancellor Merkel's fear that Socialist candidate François Hollande might win the French election came true on Sunday. While their differing politics have some warning of difficult French-German relations to come, German editorialists argue Monday that the pragmatic politicians will make it work. more...
SPIEGEL ONLINE
- May 07, 2012
On the night of his victory, France's new president seemed exhausted and overwhelmed by the size of his task. François Hollande has little time to master the transition from candidate to president. He faces important tests at home and abroad, including finding a way to get along with Angela Merkel. By Mathieu von Rohr in Paris more...
SPIEGEL ONLINE
- May 06, 2012
The French chose François Hollande because he promised to be a different president than Nicolas Sarkozy. He just won one of the most difficult jobs on earth: to reform France. To succeed he will have to disappoint many of his supporters. But Hollande is a pragmatist, not an ideologue -- and this might even help him to bond with Angela Merkel. An Analysis By Mathieu von Rohr in Tulle, France more... [ Forum ]
SPIEGEL ONLINE
- May 06, 2012
France has elected François Hollande as its next president. Incumbent Nicolas Sarkozy has become the first president in 31 years not to get elected to a second term. Hollande's election is also expected to have a major impact on European Union policies. more...
SPIEGEL ONLINE
- May 04, 2012
New polls indicate that the gap between French President Nicolas Sarkozy and frontrunner François Hollande is narrowing. But most still expect the Socialist challenger to emerge victorious on Sunday. German commentators say that Hollande still has a lot to learn -- and the sooner he does, the greater the clout he will have in Europe. more...
SPIEGEL ONLINE
- May 04, 2012
It could be an uncomfortable weekend for German Chancellor Angela Merkel, with three crunch votes taking place on Sunday. Elections in Greece and France could torpedo her strategy to solve the euro crisis if voters reject pro-austerity candidates, while a state election in Germany may weaken her conservatives domestically. By Veit Medick more... [ Forum ]
SPIEGEL ONLINE
- May 03, 2012
German Finance Minister Wolfgang Schäuble is the leading candidate to become the president of the Euro Group, the common currency's powerful decision-making body. But if François Hollande wins the upcoming French election, he could scupper the appointment, dealing a major blow to Chancellor Merkel. By Philipp Wittrock more... [ Forum ]
