President Obama quickly called the new socialist president-elect of France after his victory over Nicolas Sarkozy was announced today.
Francois Holland, who beat Sarkozy 51 percent to 48 percent, will be France’s first socialist president since Francois Mitterand — just as France is in economic danger like other states in the Euro zone.
“President Obama indicated that he looks forward to working closely with Mr. Hollande and his government on a range of shared economic and security challenges,” White House press secretary Jay Carney said in a readout of the president’s call. “President Obama noted that he will welcome President-elect Hollande to Camp David for the G-8 Summit and to Chicago for the NATO Summit later this month, and proposed that they meet beforehand at the White House.”
“President Obama and President-elect Hollande each reaffirmed the important and enduring alliance between the people of the United States and France,” Carney added.
Sarkozy’s use of Obama in a campaign video upset the Hollande campaign to the point that they balked to the U.S. Embassy about it.
Hollande and Obama have reportedly never met. Hollande’s platform promises 20 billion euros in new spending over the next five years and reversing tax breaks for the wealthy. The French president-elect wants to implement sanctions for companies failing to offer equal pay, but unlike Obama has promised half of his cabinet positions will go to women.
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