Page 8 - aruba-today-20161202

A8 WORLD NEWS
Friday 2 december 2016
French president rules out 2017 run to help boost Socialists

THOMAS ADAMSON within, with rebels within
SYLVIE CORBET the party openly criticizing
PARIS (AP) — France’s Pres- his pro-business strategy
ident Francois Hollande and calling for more left-
announced in a surprise leaning policies.
televised address Thursday Two of his ex-colleagues,
that he would not seek a former Economy Minister
second term in next year’s Arnaud Montebourg and
presidential election, ac- former Education Minister
knowledging that his per- Benoit Hamon, have al-
sonal unpopularity might ready announced they will
cost his Socialist party the run next month.
Elysee. Hollande faced the Dec. 15
“I have decided not to be party deadline for entering
a candidate in the presi- the primary contest — and
dential election,” Hollande was expected to say in the
said in the prime time slot, coming weeks whether he
adding that he hoped would run again.
by stepping aside to give His announcement never-
the Socialists a chance to theless came as a shock
win “against conservatism to political commenta-
and, worse still, extremism.” tors, many of whom had
The 62-year-old president thought the one-term So-
— the country’s least pop- cialist leader was posturing
ular leader since World War In this grab taken from video, French President Francois Hollande makes a statement, during a to seek re-election despite
II — said he was “conscious televised broadcast, at the Elysee Palace, in Paris, Thursday, Dec. 1, 2016. Hollande has announc- being low in the polls.
of the risks” his lack of sup- es he will not be running in the 2017 French Presidential election. French network TF1 only
port posed to a successful (TF1 via AP) said late in the day that the
candidacy. “That’s the choice of a Voters expressed disap- actress Julie Gayet, an embattled leader would
“What’s at stake is not a statesman,” he said, with- pointment over the lagging episode later exposed in a be speaking on its popu-
person, it’s the country’s out confirming if he plans economy, higher taxes stinging book by the former lar 8 p.m. news broadcast,
future,” he said. to seek the presidency him- and the pro-business shift first lady. throwing French media
The announcement Thurs- self. Hollande adopted mid- Not only did Trierweiler re- into a frenzy of second-
day came just a few days In his address Hollande term after first claiming as a veal intimate details of Hol- guessing as to what he
after Hollande’s No. 2, avoided saying if he would candidate his “real adver- lande’s infidelities, but she might have to say.
Prime Minister Manuel Valls, support Valls — or any oth- sary” would be the “world also depicted the Socialist In a September speech, he
said he was “ready” to er candidate. of finance”. leader as someone who repeatedly suggested he
compete in next month’s Hollande’s popularity His image also suffered dislikes the poor — a grave was eyeing a re-election
Socialist primary. plunged soon after he took from personal scandals. He political sin for a left-wing bid.
In a written statement power in 2012, and polls broke up with ex-partner leader. “I will not let the image
on Thursday night, Valls show most voters don’t Valerie Trierweiler amid The Socialist party has also of France be spoiled ... in
praised Hollande’s “tough, want to see him stay in of- reports that he was hav- been deeply divided over the coming months or the
mature, serious choice.” fice. ing an affair with French Hollande’s leadership from coming years,” Hollande
said at the time.
UK minister: Leaving EU won’t mean economic isolation Hollande said he would
seek re-election if he were
LONDON (AP) — Britain’s In a speech to the Welsh will try to stay in the single “No one wants to see labor able to curb the unem-
minister for leaving the Eu- arm of the Confederation market after it leaves the shortages in key sectors,” ployment rate in France,
ropean Union tried to reas- of British Industry, Davis said bloc. EU leaders say that’s he said. which for years has hov-
sure businesses on Thursday Britain and the EU “should impossible unless Britain al- Davis also said Thursday ered around 10 percent.
that exiting the bloc won’t steer clear of protectionist lows the free movement of that Britain might be willing The latest figures showed a
cut the U.K. off from much- measures.” workers from other EUcoun- to pay into EU coffers in re- slight decrease in the job-
needed international work- He conceded that many tries — something the gov- turn for access to the single less numbers, but this didn’t
ers and investment. business leaders wanted ernment says it won’t do. market. seem to quell the criticism.
Brexit Secretary David Da- to remain in the 28-na- Davis said while Britain will He told lawmakers in the Valls may launch his bid
vis said the U.K. was seeking tion EU and its tariff-free sin- be “ending free movement House of Commons that on Saturday, when he ex-
“the freest possible market gle market for goods and as it has operated before ... “of course we would con- pected to speak at a politi-
in goods and services with services. we won’t do it in a way that sider” making a contribu- cal rally in Paris hosted by a
the EU and the rest of the The British government has is contrary to the national tion to the bloc if it means group linked to the Social-
world.” refused to say whether it end economic interest.” better access.q ist party. q