Francois Hollande: ‘I am not dangerous’

That saw him accused of hypocrisy by Mr Sarkozy, who said he “says one thing
in France and another in Britain”.

Yesterday, he insisted he held the same discourse both sides of the Channel,
adding “I’m not dangerous”, when asked about his intentions to crack down on
the financial world.

The Socialist did not meet David Cameron, who has thrown his weight behind
conservative incumbent Nicolas Sarkozy. Mr Hollande’s camp insisted they had
not asked to see the Prime Minister, but diplomatic sources said Mr Cameron
declined.

Mr Hollande held talks with Ed Milliband, who heaped praise on his Left-wing
opposite number, who is tipped to beat Mr Sarkozy by a small margin in the
first round of presidential elections on April 22 and by a comfortable
margin in the run-off on May 6.

“I have been very, very encouraged by the leadership he’s been showing,” he
said in the offices of the opposition leader in Westminster. “I’m very
impressed by the energy and dynamism he has shown in his campaign.”

Mr Hollande said that he hoped to lead a new wave of Left-wing leaders that
would change the face of Europe. The Socialist has promised to renegotiate
the recent European fiscal pact saying it places too much emphasis on
austerity and not enough on growth.

“I hope the French election can be a force for change in Europe and that this
change can also happen in Britain,” he said.

Mr Hollande’s campaign manager made it clear he saw Mr Cameron’s support as a
poisoned chalice for Mr Sarkozy. “Being the friend of the Conservatives, the
friend of Thatherites and their heirs…is frankly pretty strange for the
so-called ‘candidate of the people,” said Pierre Moscovici.

Mr Sarkozy received a warm welcome when he visited London in his successful
campaign for election in 2007, telling French expatriates: “France is still
your country even if you are disappointed by it.”

A majority in London voted for him, mirroring the national vote in his favour.
But Mr Hollande hopes to cash in on strong anti-Sarkozy sentiment at home
and abroad.

He gave a speech at Kings College, London, in which told students they were
the future of Europe, one he said had to be far more than a mere “common
market”.

But not all French expatriate students fell for his discourse. One, Laurene,
22, said: “My father has told me he wants to leave France if you come in and
raise taxes.”

London is often referred to as France’s sixth city due to its huge expatriate
population, but voter turnout was very low in 2007. This time round, some
72,000 French are registered to vote.

French expatriates in the UK will for the first time be able to vote for their
own MP, whose constituency is northern Europe, in legislative elections in
June.

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