Just one year ago, the idea that Francois Hollande would become France's next president would have been laughed at – even by some of his political allies.
Hollande had long been sidelined from France's national affairs. Longtime friends and colleagues compared him to a jiggly pudding, or the captain of a pedal boat – a way to suggest he had no political spine. He led the Socialist Party through 11 years – years fraught with divisions and two consecutive presidential defeats.
Now, Hollande will have to show the French, and the world, that he brings the talents of a statesman to the table, not just the fact that he's not Sarkozy.
Hollande, 57, won the presidency in a campaign that reflected his personality – slow and steady. Like the tortoise in Aesop's fable, he managed to overtake the hyperactive hare in front of him and win the race without ever igniting passions.
After a bitter campaign and five years under the often-divisive Sarkozy, Hollande promised to be the "president of everyone" and not just those who voted for him.He promised to reduce the budget deficit and preserve the French social model, and said youth and justice are his two top commitments.
Hollande promises to be a "normal" president, signaling a dramatic change of tone both at home and abroad for the French president after five years in which Sarkozy ruffled feathers with his aggressive, brash personality.
A majority of French voters disagreed Sunday. Hollande will have five years to prove his win was no accident.
法国总统大选第二轮投票北京时间7日2时结束。根据初步计票结果显示，57岁的社会党候选人弗朗索瓦·奥朗德以51.9%的支持率战胜现任总统、人民运动联盟候选人萨科齐，赢得此次选举。他承诺做一个“正常”的总统，主张削减财政赤字，并且不采取与希腊类似的财政紧缩政策。他认为，活力和公正，是他最重要的两项承诺。此前这个温和的男人，除了社会党内的职务外，并没有任何的政府内阁任职经历。他现在需要用接下来五年时间，来证明他的当选，并不是一场意外。
法新社援引法国政治学者的评论指出，萨科齐失败的原因是由于经济危机和他担任总统职务的方式有错误。但是，接下来对奥朗德来说，也不会轻而易举。奥朗德的上台可能会影响法国国内外政策，尤其是欧洲财政预算政策。
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