If it walks like a duck…
Supporters of Francois Hollande, Socialist Party candidate for the 2012 French presidential election, celebrate during a rally at Place de la Bastille in Paris May 6, 2012. France voted in elections on Sunday and Francois Hollande becomes the nation’s first Socialist president in 17 years. Sign reads, in reference to a quote by President Sarkozy, “Go away stupid idiot”. (REUTERS/Charles Platiau)
Barack Obama invited the new socialist President-elect Francois Hollande to the White House later this month.
The AFP reported:President Barack Obama invited French president-elect Francois Hollande to the White House later this month, expressing hope the pair would work “closely,” a spokesman said Sunday.
In a telephone call to congratulate Hollande on his election victory, Obama “indicated that he looks forward to working closely with Mr Hollande and his government on a range of shared economic and security challenges,” White House spokesman Jay Carney said in a statement.
Obama and Hollande “each reaffirmed the important and enduring alliance between the people of the United States and France,” the statement read.
The US president is due to host the leaders of the Group of Eight rich nation’s club at his Camp David retreat in Maryland between May 18-19, followed by the NATO transatlantic alliance summit in Chicago on May 20-21.
In his call to Hollande, Obama “proposed that they meet beforehand at the White House” for a bilateral meeting, Carney said.
Stocks plummeted tonight after the socialist party won in France.
