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PARIS – Socialist Francois Hollande assumed France's presidency Tuesday,inheriting a country fearful for its financial future and jettingoff immediately to Berlin to tackle his most pressing problem:Europe's debt crisis. A flash of lightning nearly derailed Hollande's blitz diplomaticforay, striking his plane and sending him briefly back to a Parisarea military airbase. But Hollande quickly switched Falcon jets, flew to Berlin, and tooksteps toward bridging differences with German Chancellor AngelaMerkel over how to reinvigorate Europe's economy and its globalinfluence. Right before leaving for Berlin, Hollande named amoderate, German-friendly ally, Jean-Marc Ayrault, as his primeminister. During a day packed with pomp-filled inaugural traditions, Hollandepromised to be less flashy than his predecessor Nicolas Sarkozy andbring a more human touch to the Elysee Palace. But he won't havemuch time to play Mr. Nice Guy as he faces a barrage of challenges,from creating jobs to getting thousands of French troops out ofAfghanistan ahead of schedule. Europe's financial troubles are Hollande's No. 1 priority. He andMerkel have opposing views on whether spending or saving is thebest approach. Hollande said Tuesday investment in growth is crucial to reducedebt and cut deficits, saying he envisions "a balanced andrespectful relationship" with Germany. Merkel, who has argued that indebted European countries need toclean up their budgets before launching new spending sprees, saidthat her differences with Hollande have been overplayed. And askedwhether she was afraid of Hollande's campaign pledges, she replied:"I am seldom afraid." The two stressed that they want to keep Greece in the 17-nationeurozone that shares the euro currency, and looked ahead to aEuropean Union summit in Brussels next week for further decisions. The lightning strike marked a startling beginning for Hollande, whopromised to be a more "normal" president after five years underSarkozy, ousted by voters after a single term for his handling of astagnant economy. Hollande took off in a Falcon 7X aircraft for Berlin afterrain-drenched inaugural events. The plane was hit by lightning justminutes afterward, according to Hollande aides. Warning lightsturned red, they said, but Hollande wanted to continue on. Instead the pilot returned to the Villacoublay air base outsideParis as a precaution, Defense Ministry spokesman Gerard Gachetsaid. The president and his entourage were transferred to anotheraircraft, a Falcon 900, and left. It's not unusual for planes to be struck by lightning whentraveling through thunderstorms; often pilots will fly at higheraltitudes to go "above the weather" and in most cases land withoutdifficulty. In March, four planes were struck by lightning the samenight during heavy storms near Houston, but all landed withoutincident. Hollande's trip was a postwar custom for new French leaders toreach out to German counterparts to solidify European unity. Whilenew figures Tuesday showed the eurozone has avoided a newrecession, thanks largely to Germany, political turmoil in Greecewas reviving fears about the fate of the euro. Hollande, elected May 6 as France's first Socialist president sinceFrancois Mitterrand left office in 1995, rode to the presidency ona wave of resurgent leftist sentiment amid Europe's debt woes andprotests against capitalism around the world. The 57-year-old displayed his populist touch in between Tuesday'sceremonies, stopping for handshakes — and even a kiss —with adoring fans. Hollande was greeted by Sarkozy Tuesday on the red-carpeted stepsof the 18th-century Elysee Palace, the traditional residence ofFrench presidents. The two held a 40-minute private meeting whenthe outgoing president handed over the codes to France's nucleararsenal. The new president immediately acknowledged the challenges heinherits: "a massive debt, weak growth, high unemployment, degradedcompetitiveness, and a Europe that is struggling to come out ofcrisis." Hollande promised to fight financial speculation and "open a newpath" in Europe. He has pushed back against a Europeanbudget-cutting pact championed by Merkel and Sarkozy. "To overcome the crisis that is hitting it, Europe needs plans. Itneeds solidarity. It needs growth. To our partners, I will proposea new pact that will tie the necessary reduction of public debtwith the indispensable stimulus of the economy," he said. Hollande also pledged to bring "dignity and simplicity" to thepresidential role — something voters felt that Sarkozy didnot always do. The French mood is glum. Many voters looked to the inauguration asa rare moment of national pride and to Hollande's presidency as anew opportunity to make things better. Earlier Tuesday, the state statistics agency released figuresshowing that the French economy had failed to grow in the firstquarter. Some economists predict a contraction ahead, which wouldcomplicate Hollande's promises to rein in the deficit. World markets and other European leaders will watch closely to seewhether Hollande follows through on campaign promises, such aspulling French troops out of Afghanistan by year's end, freezinggasoline prices and hiking taxes on the rich. Observers expect that once he settles into the presidency, he'slikely to fall back into the moderate consensus-building that hascharacterized his career. Hollande's relationship with Merkel, the German chancellor, will becrucial to his presidency and the appointment of Ayrault (ay-ROW)as prime minister may well prove an advantage for thisrelationship. Ayrault, who leads the Socialists in Parliament, is aGerman speaker and a former teacher of the language of Goethe. Ayrault is expected to announce a government Wednesday or Thursday.But its future will depend on the outcome of parliamentaryelections next month, and whether leftists take control of theNational Assembly. In Tuesday's ceremony, Hollande received the insignia of the GrandCroix of the Legion of Honor and the necklace of the Great Masterof the Order of the Legion of Honor. Each linked medallion of thenecklace bears the name of a president, with Hollande's namerecently added. Hollande shook hands with many of the hundreds at the ceremony thenreviewed troops in the palace gardens. Following tradition, 21shots were fired from cannons at the Invalides, a domed complex onthe opposite side of the Seine that holds Napoleon's tomb. Rain started pouring down on the famed Champs-Elysees avenue asHollande rode up its center, standing in the sunroof of his hybridCitroen DS5, trailed by dozens of Republican Guardsmen on horsebackand motorcycle. His suit was visibly drenched within moments. Hethen headed for the Arc de Triomphe, and its monument to theunknown soldier. His second presidential speech of the day focused on education, ashe pledged to create 60,000 new teaching jobs in the aftermath ofcuts Sarkozy had made. Hollande, who has never been married, was joined for the ceremoniesand in his motorcade Tuesday by his poised girlfriend, journalistValerie Trierweiler. She wore a black dress with translucentsleeves and a white tunic jacket by French label Apostrophe. Hollande's former partner and the mother of his four children,Segolene Royal, joined him later Tuesday in a ceremony at ParisCity Hall. Royal, a prominent Socialist politician, was runner-upto Sarkozy in 2007; she is angling for a top political job underHollande's presidency. Hollande's first presidential meal reflected relative modesty, atleast by French culinary standards: lobster and citrus terrine,cote de boeuf, and strawberry macaron cookies for dessert. Sarkozy left the palace hand-in-hand with wife Carla Bruni-Sarkozy,had a last handshake on the palace steps with Hollande, then wasdriven away. Former staff members gathered in the palace courtyardapplauded loudly as Sarkozy left, and fans at the Elysee gateswaved signs reading "Nicolas, merci!" ___ Geir Moulson in Berlin, Cecile Brisson, Jamey Keaten and ThomasAdamson in Paris and Joan Lowy in Washington, D.C., contributed tothis report. I am an expert from silicon-kitchenware.com, while we provides the quality product, such as China Silicone Cake Mould , China Silicone Coin Purse, Silicone Heat Resistant Mat,and more.
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