Tag: France

• Tuesday, May 15th 2012 - 16:08 UTC

  Greek exit from the Euro could cost French taxpayers 66.4bn Euros, says report

  

  An exit of Greece from the Euro zone could cost the French taxpayer up to 66.4 billion Euros and saddle the country's banking system with 20 billion Euros in lost loans, according to a study published on Tuesday.

• Tuesday, May 15th 2012 - 15:53 UTC

  Economy receives Hollande with anaemic performance: zero growth in Q1

  

  France's economy stalled in the first quarter as household consumption flat lined, businesses pared back investment and exports slowed, underlining the challenge facing Socialist President Francois Hollande who took office on Tuesday.

• Tuesday, May 15th 2012 - 15:47 UTC

  Hollande names parliamentary leader and Germany expert as Prime Minister

  

  French President Francois Hollande named veteran Socialist parliamentary leader and Germany-expert Jean-Marc Ayrault as prime minister on Tuesday, an appointment which may help smooth negotiations with Berlin on tempering austerity in Europe.

• Tuesday, May 15th 2012 - 15:40 UTC

  New elections in Greece; Hollande flies to meet with Merkel in Berlin

  

  Attempts to form a government in Greece collapsed on Tuesday rattling financial markets at the prospect of extremist parties opposed to the terms of an EU bailout could sweep to victory and push the Euro zone crisis into a dangerous new phase.

• Tuesday, May 15th 2012 - 08:30 UTC

  Hollande is sworn as French president and flies to talks with Merkel in Berlin

  

  Socialist Francois Hollande is to be sworn as France's president Tuesday before naming a prime minister and dashing to Germany to battle with Berlin over how to tackle Europe's debt crisis.

• Monday, May 14th 2012 - 19:11 UTC

  Germany prepares to receive Hollande but insists on tight austerity measures

  

  The European Union cannot amend agreed rules on tighter fiscal discipline despite voters' rejection of austerity policies in several countries, and France's new leader must understand this, Germany's finance minister said.

• Tuesday, May 8th 2012 - 17:17 UTC

  Brazil’s Rousseff sees in Hollande an ally to counter Merkel’s austerity policies

  

  Dilma Rousseff is interested in having French elected-president Francois Holland make an official visit to Brasilia to talk about the current world situation since the Brazilian leader believes they both share positions regarding the global crisis and austerity policies.

• Monday, May 7th 2012 - 04:33 UTC

  Hollande first scheduled meeting with Merkel in Berlin to address austerity and growth

  

  A victorious Francois Hollande faces a short honeymoon after his election as France's first Socialist president in 17 years, with financial markets eager for clear signals on his policies and how hard he plans to push back against German-led austerity.

• Saturday, May 5th 2012 - 06:38 UTC

  Hollande or Sarkozy, on Monday the Berlin-Paris axis reviews EU austerity policies

  

  Conservative President Nicolas Sarkozy made an impassioned final appeal to voters on Friday, saying that a Socialist victory could send France spiraling the way of Greece, as polls showed him narrowing his challenger’s lead two days before the vote.

• Wednesday, May 2nd 2012 - 06:01 UTC

  Far-right candidate announces blank ballot in French presidential run-off

  

  Five days before French voters pick their new president, the far-right candidate Marine Le Pen announced she would cast a blank ballot in the second round poll of the election. Faced with a choice between conservative incumbent Nicolas Sarkozy and Socialist Party challenger François Hollande, the National Front (FN) leader said the two candidates were the same.