Obliged by the campaign for the socialist primaries, the deputy of Corrèze, François Hollande, held a press conference yesterday at Castel Plage in Nice. Following a notable appearance in Avignon, the former First Secretary of the Socialist Party addressed the eurozone crisis. He also called for unity among socialists.
François Hollande continues his tour in the south of France. Following his stop in Avignon (Vaucluse), the candidate for the Socialist Party primaries, was in Nice on July 18. Necessitated by the 2012 campaign.
During a press conference held at Castel Plage, a stone’s throw from the sea, François Hollande reminded his camp of the need for unity: “It’s been 23 years since the Socialist Party won a presidential election” (editor’s note: since François Mitterrand’s inauguration in 1981). “Therefore, there is an obligation of unity”.
This was an implicit reaction to the statements made by Ségolène Royal. The president of the Poitou-Charentes region suggested on France 2 on Sunday openness towards the ecologists, centrists, extreme left, but also the Gaullist right.
Not confident, but a fighter
Well positioned in the polls, François Hollande casts an astute eye on the political situation in the Alpes-Maritimes: “I know that this department doesn’t usually vote for the left, but many right-wing voters are disappointed with Nicolas Sarkozy. Some of them trust us”.
However, the deputy of Corrèze’s first constituency refuses any triumphalism. “I’m a fighter. There is no confidence. The primary is still far off”, he assures. The first round of the vote will take place on October 9.
Merkel and Sarkozy are taken to task
However, the primaries were not the only subject of questions François Hollande had to answer. The eurozone crisis is worrying.
According to the socialist, “Angela Merkel and Nicolas Sarkozy are responsible for this crisis. They can no longer speak to each other. There has never been a Franco-German couple”. The German Chancellor and the French President will appreciate this.
