French President Francois Hollande defiant in face of criticism
President pleads patience on his plans to rebuild economy in face of criticism and falling polls
France's president just cannot seem to win.
Six months after sweeping to power on an anti-austerity wave, polls say Socialist President Francois Hollande is increasingly disliked. Leftists are disappointed he is not spending more state money to create jobs. Critics on the right say he is raising too many taxes.
Hollande defended his presidency and answered critics on Tuesday with what is becoming his signature message: "Recovery takes time." Fixing a zero-growth economy and 10 per cent unemployment did not happen overnight, he said at the first big news conference of his term.
Hollande staked out bolder ground on foreign policy. He defended Greece and minimised differences with Germany over fixing Europe's economy.
He gave a big boost to a new Syrian opposition coalition by becoming the first Western nation to recognise it as "the sole legitimate voice of the Syrian people." And he warned that terrorists in northern Mali had become the biggest threat to France's national security.
But France's economy is Hollande's biggest challenge.
"We should be capable of doing better in spending less," he said. "We have to show - France more than others, and more than Germany - seriousness and competitiveness."
