François Hollande has won the primaries of the socialist party (PS), but it is now that the real battle begins. The moderate candidate won on Sunday against Martine Aubry, a former labor minister. More than 2 million people voted and Hollande beat Aubry by 57% to 43%. It will surely be him therefore a to challenge the current prime minister, Nicola Sarkozy, in the 2012 presidential election.
And many believe that he could beat him. Segolene Royal's ex-husband, with whom he had four children, has all the hallmarks of an anti-Sarkozy. It has a structured curriculum, with degrees ranging from the Hec business school to the Sciences Po institute of political studies, up to the Ena Normal School. The 57-year-old Hollande, head of the Socialist Party from 1997 to 2008, is currently a deputy in the National Assembly and governor of the central Corrèze region.
His plan to revitalize France includes a decisive one in the first place greater progressiveness in taxation, increased spending on education, new employment contracts that encourage companies to hire young , reduction of the high state deficit. But, as some critics point out, Hollande does not enjoy particular international prestige. And in fact he has not made any statements on foreign policy. However, he said he wanted to reach a "pact" with Germany to solve Europe's problems.
Should he win against Sarkozy in April, he would be the first socialist president to return to the Elysée after 17 years. But, as "Le Figaro" points out, Hollande's real problem "will be to bring together all these lefts that have expressed themselves during the primaries." In short, a divided left on one side, Nicolas Sarkozy on the other: months of hard work lie ahead for Hollande.
