France's Hollande Makes Bold Debut on EU Summit Stage.
At his first meeting of EU leaders, with the hotly contested issue of shared euro-zone debt top of his discussion list, France's new president made it clear on Wednesday that he intends to stand up to Berlin on European policy.
As Francois Hollande arrived for the summit in Brussels, the Socialist leader told reporters that euro bonds would be up for discussion. Moments later, Chancellor Angela Merkel stepped out of her limousine and said curtly that she did not think such bonds were a good idea or would help to boost growth.
After the summit, Italian Prime Minister Mario Monti said most member states had support Hollande's position. . .
Hollande even broke with the usual Franco-German pre-summit meeting, instead holding talks with Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy in Paris.
"The relationship with Germany is very important but I am not keeping other countries at a distance. . ."
"I want France to be heard and supported by other countries. I don't my relationship with Germany to be like an executive board that imposes itself on others."
http://www.nytimes.com/reuters/2012/05/23/world/europe/23reuters-eurozone-hollande.html?hp
