Immediately afterwards, he will travel to berlin to meet chancellor angela merkel (CDU), confirmed his campaign manager pierre moscovici in paris on monday. Good franco-german relations are extremely important for europe, moscovici says.
Hollande had demanded a renegotiation of the european fiscal pact during the election campaign, which merkel rejected. The chancellor supported sarkozy during the election campaign and is critical of most of holland’s european policy demands. These include the expansion of the EU fiscal pact and the introduction of eurobonds. Hollande also wants to advocate a much less harsh course in the euro crisis.
Merkel was the first to congratulate hollande on his election victory on sunday, moscovici reported. There have also been numerous telephone and written congratulations from other heads of state and government, including u.S. President barack obama.
The future president hollande met with his closest aides on monday to prepare for taking over the reins of government. It is considered certain that the 57-year-old will present a new prime minister and then his cabinet team immediately after his inauguration.
17 years after the end of the era of socialist francois mitterrand (1981-95), the french left was once again in a mood of genuine optimism. Sarkozy’s conservative UMP party, on the other hand, faces a completely uncertain future. With sarkozy’s announced withdrawal, it loses its only major leadership figure.
Merkel made it clear in berlin that there would be no renegotiation of the fiscal pact as demanded by hollande. The agreements for more budgetary discipline are not up for discussion. "She rejects "huge economic stimulus programs. At the same time, merkel stressed that she would welcome hollande in germany with open arms. "Franco-german cooperation is essential for europe"."
SPD chairman sigmar gabriel called hollande’s election a landmark decision for all of europe. "This will not only change france, but finally help to give europe a different direction," he commented in berlin. In addition to the european fiscal pact, there must now also be a "pact for growth and employment," gabriel emphasized.
On sunday, the long-serving PS leader hollande won the runoff against sarkozy with 51.62 percent of the vote. Voter turnout was 80.34 percent, slightly lower than five years ago. The relatively high proportion of spoiled ballots (5.8 percent) was striking. It was attributed to protest voters.
In the first round of voting with ten candidates, the right-wing populist marine le pen won just under 18 percent of the votes. She had not made any election recommendation after her withdrawal, but only said that she would cast a blank ballot herself.
Hollande loves to celebrate in the night at a huge open-air party on paris’s historic bastille square. Tens of thousands of supporters gathered where the french revolution began in 1789.
In a short speech, hollande thanked his voters for the trust they have placed in him. "I don’t know if you understand me. But I understood you," he shouted in a hoarse voice to the cheering crowd from a stage. He has heard the desire for change and will be the president of youth and justice.
Hollande also called on his supporters to commit themselves to a victory for the left in the national assembly elections in june. As president, he needs a majority in the first chamber of parliament. The 57-year-old recalled the 10th anniversary of the fall of the berlin wall. May 1981. Back then, 31 years ago, the left celebrated mitterrand’s election victory in bastille square. He was the first and only directly elected socialist president of france until 1995.
The conservatives, on the other hand, were in a gloomy mood. They want to decide in the next few days on the future of the party, which has so far been aligned with sarkozy. After the outgoing president, on monday, auben minister and ex-premier alain juppe also announced his retirement from national politics. He will not run in the june elections, he said in bordeaux.
In the media circulated on monday already several names of politicians who are considered to have good chances in the future government. Hollande’s special adviser jean-marc ayrault is considered a rough favorite for the office of prime minister. The former german teacher and longtime leader of the socialist faction in the national assembly is considered a moderate alternative to party leader martine aubry. He is also said to have good connections to berlin.
Other possible candidates for top posts in the new french government are former prime minister laurent fabius (eaves minister) and holland’s communications chief manuel valls (interior minister). The very young generation was presented by 34-year-old najat vallaud-belkacem, among others. She was a press spokeswoman for the successful sarkozy challenger.
A customary meeting between the election loser and the election winner is to take place this tuesday. The two opponents plan to take part in a joint commemoration of the end of the second world war. It takes place at a monument to the resistance hero general charles de gaulle at the paris champs-elysees.