PARIS, (Reuters) – At his first meeting of EU leaders, with the hotly contested issue of shared euro-zone debt top of his discussion list, France’s new president made it clear yesterday that he intends to stand up to Berlin on European policy.
As Francois Hollande arrived for the summit in Brussels, the Socialist leader told reporters that euro bonds would be up for discussion. Moments later, Chancellor Angela Merkel stepped out of her limousine and said curtly that she did not think such bonds were a good idea or would help to boost growth.
After the summit, Italian Prime Minister Mario Monti said most member states had support Hollande’s position.
It was an audacious debut for the newly elected French leader who, despite his placid manner next to his often pushy predecessor, Nicolas Sarkozy, believes firmly that Germany should not have the sole say in pulling Europe out of crisis.
Emboldened by growing support for his pushback against German-led austerity, and mindful that voters are watching ahead of a legislative election on June 17, Hollande even broke with the usual Franco-German pre-summit meeting, instead holding talks with Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy in Paris.
“The relationship with Germany is very important but I am not keeping other countries at a distance,” Hollande told reporters on his train ride to Brussels, another change in style from Sarkozy, who usually travelled in his presidential jet.
“I want France to be heard and supported by other countries. I don’t my relationship with Germany to be like an executive board that imposes itself on others.”
Just days into his presidency, Hollande met privately with Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy before the informal dinner and greeted Merkel along with other EU counterparts with a handshake and a brief chat as he entered the meeting room.
