PARIS (Reuters) – Francois Hollande became French
president on Tuesday in an official handover ceremony that makes him the country’s first Socialist
leader since Francois Mitterrand.
Outgoing President Nicolas Sarkozy greeted Hollande on the steps
of the Elysee presidential palace, and took him inside to transfer nuclear codes and other secret files
ahead of a short swearing-in ceremony attended by around 400 guests.
Hollande was due to fly to
Berlin later in the day for his first meeting with German Chancellor Angela Merkel.
(Reporting
By Catherine Bremer; Editing by Paul Taylor)
