French president news stories on Newser

France Swears In Hollande

Polly Davis Doig — Tue, 15 May 2012 05:56:43 CDT

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...

As Sarkozy Exits, US Loses a Friend

Kevin Spak — Tue, 08 May 2012 09:12:29 CDT

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...

What Hollande's Victory Means for France

Evann Gastaldo — Mon, 07 May 2012 07:48:13 CDT

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...

Hollande Wins French Runoff Vote, Ousts Sarkozy

Polly Davis Doig — Sun, 06 May 2012 12:18:51 CDT

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,...

France's Le Pen Endorses ... Blank Ballot

Tue, 01 May 2012 06:39:11 CDT

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...

Sarkozy, Hollande Advance to Runoff

Sun, 22 Apr 2012 12:52:37 CDT

French President Nicolas Sarkozy and chief rival Francois Hollande are headed for a showdown on May 6, after finishing as the top two candidates in today's first round of voting in France's presidential elections. Though the French government has yet to finalize the tally, the Wall Street Journal and other...

Sarkozy Son in Trouble for Chucking Marbles at Cop

Mary Papenfuss — Tue, 13 Mar 2012 01:05:29 CDT

Not the best move for the son of a law-and-order candidate: French President Nicolas Sarkozy's 14-year-old boy is in trouble for chucking marbles—and a tomato—at a female gendarme at the Elysée presidential palace. Louis apparently decided to pelt the cop on guard across the street as he horsed...

France Finds Chirac Guilty of Corruption

Thu, 15 Dec 2011 04:28:00 CST

A French court found former President Jacques Chirac guilty of embezzling public funds to illegally finance the conservative party he long led, in a historic verdict today with repercussions for his legacy and France's political elite. Chirac will not go behind bars, but was handed a two-year suspended prison sentence...

French Leaders Keep Health Hush-Hush

Mat Probasco — Mon, 27 Jul 2009 01:19:57 CDT

Don't expect French President Nicolas Sarkozy to talk about being rushed to the hospital after he collapsed during a jog yesterday. If he's anything like his predecessors, he'll probably say nothing at all, reports AFP. Since 1974, when President Georges Pompidou died while in office from leukemia, French leaders have...