Hollande to be sworn in as France president

Hollande to be sworn in as France president

Francois Hollande to be sworn in as France’s new president on May 15, an official at outgoing President Nicolas Sarkozy’s office said on Monday. Mr Hollande today to attend an inauguration ceremony at the Elysee Palace with outgoing President Nicolas Sarkozy .Hollande,  will accompany Sarkozy at an annual ceremony on Tuesday, a national holiday, to commemorate the end of World War Two, the official at Sarkozy’s office said.

 Hollande has asked for his 10 a.m.  inauguration ceremony to be kept as low-key as possible.
He will invite just three dozen personal guests to join some 350 officials at the event and neither his nor his partner Valerie Trierweiler's children will attend.Man who until recently chugged to work on a scooter will still be presented with the official chain of office, a gold collar weighing nearly a kilogram and engraved with the names of all Fifth Republic presidents.He will then be taken on a traditional victory spin down the Champs Elysees avenue in an open-topped car.

Tuesday afternoon, Hollande  will fly to Germany for dinner with Chancellor Merkel, who says she will welcome the new leader "with open arms". Merkel openly supported Mr Sarkozy in the election battle.Germany's policy is to move towards recovery through austerity; Mr Hollande, an exponent of growth. Two countries  biggest economies immense contributors to the bailout funds Germany and France are key decision-makers over the strategy supposed to pull Europe out of crisis.Mr Hollande has not yet appointed his cabinet, some potential members are already voicing their thoughts.