Tag: Francois Hollande

Macron hosts 140 CEOs in pre-Davos charm offensive

by Laurence Benhamou Agence France-Presse PARIS, France (AFP) – President Emmanuel Macron’s campaign for a “French Renaissance” kicks into overdrive Monday as he welcomes 140 multinational business leaders before this week’s jamboree of the rich and powerful in Davos. The business-friendly president will host executives at the grand Versailles chateau near Paris for an event billed as a warm-up for Tuesday’s opening of the World Economic Forum in the Swiss mountains. Several firms will use the conference […]

Hollande seeks to boost ties with Asia in face of “isolationism”

  SINGAPORE, Singapore (AFP) — French President Francois Hollande called Sunday for efforts to intensify the relationship between Europe and Asia in the face of resurgent “isolationism.” He was speaking in Singapore, the first stage of the last international tour of his five-year term which will also take him to Malaysia and Indonesia. “I appeal for us to intensify our exchanges, our trade, political and cultural agreements,” he said. “This is all the more necessary […]

Merkel and Hollande warn Cameron EU principles must be respected

French President Francois Hollande and German Chancellor Angela Merkel warned on Friday (December 18) that the United Kingdom had to respect the European Union principles on freedom of movement. EU heads of governments were meeting in Brussels on Thursday (December 17) evening over dinner to discuss British Prime Minister David Cameron’s four key demands on EU reforms. Speaking after the meeting, Hollande said the two more sensitive issues were the access to social benefits for […]

Climate change on the agenda of French President’s visit to the Philippines in 2015

After President Aquino’s historic official visit to France as part of his European tour last September, French President François Hollande is expected to reciprocate it with a visit of his own to the Philippines next year. President Aquino’s visit to France from September 17 to 18, 2014 was the first visit of a Philippine head of state since 1994. Both heads of state discussed issues of mutual interest and witnessed the signing of three agreements […]

Hollande popularity plumbs new low in mid-term French poll

(Reuters) – Half-way into his five-year mandate the popularity of French President Francois Hollande hit a new low on Thursday, hours before the Socialist leader addresses the nation to defend his shaky record on the economy. In the worst score for a president in modern-day polling, Hollande received a 12 percent approval rating in the monthly survey by pollster YouGov, down 15 percent from the prior month. Other recent polls have put his popularity at 13 […]