Hollande has it!

[ChickenLickn]

Exit polls give François Hollande 52 per cent of the vote for the final round of the french presidential elections. www.newstatesman.com/blogs/politics/2012/05/hollandes-victory-looks-assured

the cynic in me wonders how long the beautiful Carla will stay married to Nicholas now....

When will final, confirmed result be out?

Cameron is totally off the hook for his "non".

And we get to see if a 'spend for growth' policy can possibly work in an indebted Europe without risking it ourselves. Aside from his apparent total lack of personality (he really is very dull), this could be a good result.

Any word on Greek outcome?

Greek election a complete mess: New Democracy came top but only with 20%, then Syriza, the so-called radical left who have nothing but soundbites, then Pasok, the ruling party with just 15% then lots of smaller parties. The truly horrible and frightening thing is that the far-right (and not the Le Pen cuddly version either) got 8%.

Re Greek elections: Chrysi Avgi (far right) has 6.84% so far. Very worrying. I don't think anyone is suprised about Syriza, Tsipras has been doing well in the polls for ages now. 25 ballot papers to choose between! A lot of people found it confusing.

Actually, looking at the numbers, I can only see one possibility of a government being formed. No party has enough to go it alone, and the numbers just don't add up for natural coalitions of parties on the same side.

The only way out as far as I can see is for the party that has come first (New Democracy), Pasok (current ruling party, now dropped to14.07%) and a small party made up of former Pasok MPs, the Democratic Left with Fotis Kouvelis to form a coalition. Very shaky, though. If this doesn't take place, I predict further elections in Greece.

I agree alexpolismum, I think there will be elections again fairly soon.

Thank heavens if it's true and Sarko is on his way out - this will hopefully turn the tide in Europe against the dolts who act as if the lessons of the 1930s had never happened. You can't slash and burn your way to growth.

I know nothing about Greek politics but feel very sorry for everyone there who is going through a shit time.

Are you in Greece, sayanything? Very very worrying. As though Greece hadn't got enough problems!

You can't slash and burn your way to growth.

they seem to think it will work in Greece!

I am also glad to see Sarkozy on his way out, but I am not optimistic yet about Hollande - give him time to show his colours first!

I am quite happy about Hollande.

Worried about Greece and the rise of the extreme far right.

France is a bit stunned. My FB page is alight with doom & gloom commentaries of French friends.

Cote - why is France so stunned? My classroom (of French adults in Brussels) is over the moon at the prospect of getting rid of Sarkozy. Seemed to me it was much expected and much wanted.........

It probably depends on your friends political views Cote?

I think we need some variety in politics in Western Europe - I really hope Hollande turns things around in France.

I think in Greece that the vote is pretty much could have predicted - you can't force a country through such austerity and expect the people to vote for the parties who got them into such a mess - in fact you can't enforce such austerity and expect a stable democracy surely? People in extreme situations look for extreme answers. Is very worrying.

French adults in Brussels probably have the luxury of considering this election merely on principle ("Casse-toi, pauvre con!" and all that). It is not like they will suffer the economic consequences of a clueless president in the middle of a dire Europe-wide crisis.

I don't think it's as simple as "political views". Very few people like Sarkozy, even in France. If DSK led PS, he would win by landslide. But Hollande is dumb and completely ignorant about the economy. He is an ideologue, whose practical worth in solving today's complicated economical problems is frightfully close to zero.

People are worried about what kind of stupid mistake he will make in the name of his ideology.

Do you have any idea about the sort of thing he has been saying he will do?

I guess Franca is probably right and it depends on your friends political views. My f/b is a very happy place and I'm sure my classroom will be tomorrow.

What's the relevance of the 1930s? Europe wasn't governed by the markets and financial sector to the extent that it is now.

There is no traditional 'growth' to be had; that's for the BRIC countries now. Best thing Europe can do is not put the shits up the markets, which this undoubtedly will do.

France is screwed.

ACoiledThing - Your students are in BELGIUM, not France.

I think DSK would be better advised to keep a low profile these days - sounds like a truly odious man.

Ah yes - just as you are in Monaco, not France.

..... oh and the majority of my f/b friends are in France.

On 't news the French look fairly happy - in tears 'n stuff.

Yes, I am not French, and I don't live in France. What exactly is your point? I never said I care one way or another who the French elect but that the French people I know are quite depressed at the moment. I happen to know loads of them - even though MC is a separate legal entity, it is within France with no borders and is full of French people on any given day.

Is "sounds like a truly odious man" your analysis of how successful he would have been in command of French economy?