Hollande’s grip of French politics gets stronger

The grip of President François Hollande on French politics just got tighter after the party he leads, the Socialists, secured a comfortable absolute parliamentary majority at the polls on Sunday, June 18. Hollande, who defeated right-winger Nicolas Sarkozy in a May presidential election, had urged voters to give him the MPs he needs to steer France through the eurozone crisis, rising unemployment and a faltering economy through his tax-and-spend agenda. Beyond election promises of job creation and tax hikes, the government will have to pass unpopular measures to bring the deficit below 3% of GDP, with no sign of the eurozone’s debt crisis improving. Meantime, media spotlight was also focused on Segolene Royal, Hollande’s former partner and mother of their 4 children, who conceded defeat in her battle after a dissident Socialist candidate refused to stand down.

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