Francois Hollande Sworn in as French President - East Idaho News
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Francois Hollande Sworn in as French President

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GETTY W 050612 FRENCHELECTION?  SQUARESPACE CACHEVERSION=1337081532471PATRICK KOVARIK/LIONEL BONAVENTURE/AFP/Getty Images(PARIS) — Francois Hollande was officially sworn in as the president of France on Tuesday, just over a week after defeating incumbent Nicolas Sarkozy for the position.

He becomes France’s first socialist president since Francois Mitterrand left office in 1995.

At the ceremony in the Elysee Palace, Hollande noted that the task before him will not be an easy one, citing the challenges facing the country.

“Huge debt, weak growth, reduced competitiveness and a Europe that is struggling to emerge from a crisis,” the new president said.

And Hollande will waste no time tackling those issues.  He will fly to Berlin on Tuesday to discuss the debt crisis plaguing the euro zone with German Chancellor Angela Merkel.

Copyright 2012 ABC News Radio

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