The promise and challenge of Francois Hollande

The election of Francois Hollande as President of France could be an important turning point for Europe, but only if he broadens his agenda beyond the rhetoric of his campaign.

On the campaign trail, Hollande rallied his supporters in France and sympathisers abroad with a simple call to reject the logic of austerity embedded in the EU’s fiscal treaty. As the election approached, though, Hollande replaced his more strident rhetoric with a strikingly moderate four-point proposal. Instead ...