Saturday, May 05, 2012

Hollande Tipped to Become President As France Votes

Hollande tipped to become president as France votes

By Lisa Millar in Paris
May 06, 2012 06:36:50

Francois Hollande has appealed to French voters tired of tough austerity measures

France Socialist candidate Francois Hollande is expected to win the French presidential election despite a last minute increase in support for president Nicholas Sarkozy.

France begins voting later today in the second and final round of the presidential election.

Mr Hollande spent Saturday in Toulouse telling voters he was nervous about the election and "anxious for victory".

The Socialist candidate is tipped to win the poll despite Mr Sarkozy closing the gap between them to four points.

Mr Hollande has appealed to French voters tired of tough austerity measures.

He has argued for a greater emphasis on growth.

A win by Mr Hollande will give the country its first Socialist president in two decades.

Mr Sarkozy has been increasingly unpopular among voters and earned a reputation of being a president for the wealthy.

The rest of the European Union, especially Germany, will be closely watching the result amid concern about what it will mean for the region's fragile economy.

No comments: