President Obama and French President François Hollande

on the grounds at Camp David: Thirty years after Reagan

Administration shock over the election of France’s last

socialist leader, cooler heads have prevailed.

Francois Hollande: A French Socialist in Washington (Le Monde, France)

“Thirty one years ago, the arrival of a socialist president to power in France provoked astonishment and nervousness in Washington. A generation later, what a difference! Hollande was received by Barack Obama on Friday. And no more prejudice toward the French left remains. Mitterrand had already been there, and he showed that a socialist president, even one in a coalition with the French Communist Party, knows to be a strong ally when necessary.”

EDITORIAL

Translated By Pierre Guittard

May 18, 2012

France – Le Monde – Original Article (French)

Thirty one years ago, the arrival of a socialist president to power in France provoked astonishment and nervousness in Washington. It was the Cold War, and François Mitterrand had just ushered communist ministers into the government. A ritual - and expensive - sacrifice, it was more about political symbolism than serious economic policy, but then Mitterrand nationalized some French industrial groups. Unbelievable!

The United States expressed its fears. It questioned the behavior of Paris within NATO. It questioned the security of its investments in France. It was also a personal matter. François Mitterrand was an enigma in the eyes of the Americans. This odd scholar-politician who could hold forth for hours on the issues of plants, flowers, and the mysteries of the jack ass and the soul – was not the usual style of the political class encountered across the Atlantic.

A generation later, what a difference! Francois Hollande was received by Barack Obama on Friday, May 18, at the White House. And no more prejudice toward the French left remains. François Mitterrand had already been there, and he showed that a socialist president, even one in a coalition with the French Communist Party, knows to be a strong ally when necessary.

Even better, America has welcomed Hollande’s position on economic policy. Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton welcomed the new tone heard in Paris: a focus on growth as much as on fiscal austerity in Europe.

One can see a kind of ideological confluence between the Democratic Party and Europe’s social democrats. Team Obama has repeatedly denounced, in public and in private, the downside of austerity in Europe. She [the U.S.] sees a threat to growth. She fears more than recession in the Old World will pummel economic activity across the Atlantic and threaten Barack Obama’s reelection.

This also means that the American president is as much concerned about the status of the eurozone as he is about Mr. Hollande’s intentions in Afghanistan. The Americans are paralyzed by the notion that a Greek exit from the euro could trigger a financial earthquake of a magnitude equal to the summer of 2008. These will be Obama’s priorities in his discussions with the French President.

Posted by Worldmeets.US

SEE ALSO ON THIS:
Le Figaro, France: Obama, Hollande Say What Merkel Doesn’t Want to Hear
Le Figaro, France: No Panic Across Atlantic, But ‘Contentious Issues’ Await
White House, U.S.: VIDEO: Obama Welcomes Hollande to the White House
Die Welt, Germany: Romney, Obama and the Future of Europe
Toronto Star, Canada: After Afghanistan, NATO Should Reform or 'Call it Quits'
Deutsche Welle, Germany: NATO Summit to Debate Global-Policeman Role
Deutsche Welle, Germany : Why Moscow says 'Nyet' to NATO Defense System
Guardian, U.K.: Obama Caught Between Competing Visions for Fixing Eurozone Crisis
Moscow Times, Russia : Why Putin Skipped Out on G8 Summit

Ruusia Today, Russia: VIDEO - Demonstrators Descend for G8 'Showdown'

The Afghanistan dossier is ripe for compromise. Washington would prefer French troops not leave the country before the end of 2013. Mr. Hollande prefers a withdrawal by the end of 2012. But the moment and the modalities exist for a deal. What matters most to Mr. Obama is that Paris is committed to sustainable financial assistance for the Afghan government.

So will Washington’s relations with Mr. Hollande be as they were with Nicolas Sarkozy? Even if they only have eyes for the Asia-Pacific and "emerging" markets, which represent the future in their view, the Americans still appreciate the strategic assets that their old and declining allies in Europe still represent.