French presidential election
The latest on the decisive battle Nicolas Sarkozy and Francois Hollande
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Francois Hollande is to be the next president of France after millions went to the polls in the second round of the election. The Socialist's victory could have major implications for the rest of the European Union.
• Mr Hollande is the first socialist to win a French presidential election since 1988.
• Mr Sarkozy said he took responsibility for the defeat.
• The campaign has been dominated by rising unemployment and the euro crisis.
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Going to miss Mr Sarkozy as French President. Hope you voted wisely France.. I would kept him personally.by Nonstickranger via twitter 5/6/2012 7:16:58 PM -
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UK Independence leader Nigel Farage predicted the new Hollande economic approach would split the Franco-German alliance. "Hollande's election is great news" he said. "It will help drive a wedge between Germany and France, the two of the engines of EU integration."
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EU officials in Brussels believe Mr Hollande will swiftly deploy renewed French clout in the Union to shake up the current carefully-laid economic strategy of tough budget discipline on eurozone economies and enforced austerity on counties needing bailouts.
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Liberal leader in the European Parliament Guy Verhofstadt said former President Sarkozy's stand on the eurozone crisis had been "disappointing and alarming", but Francois Hollande was now promising to "bring his country back into a European dynamic".
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