Francois Hollande assumed office during a modest ceremony at the Elysee Palace in Paris, May 15, 2012.
Francois Hollande Takes Office in France
![Nicolas Sarkozy and his wife Carla Bruni-Sarkozy, center, leave the Elysee Palace after the handover ceremony.](https://gdb.voanews.com/7d8cae8d-5c6e-43f9-89a3-da241daa641e_w1024_q10_s.jpg)
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Nicolas Sarkozy and his wife Carla Bruni-Sarkozy, center, leave the Elysee Palace after the handover ceremony.
![Hollande and his companion Valerie Trierweiler leave the Elysee Palace after the handover ceremony.](https://gdb.voanews.com/7c7fa0ea-a57c-45dc-8320-a5c3fd7a76fc_w1024_q10_s.jpg)
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Hollande and his companion Valerie Trierweiler leave the Elysee Palace after the handover ceremony.
![Outgoing French President Nicolas Sarkozy and his wife Carla Bruni-Sarkozy leave the Elysee Palace after the handover ceremony.](https://gdb.voanews.com/23d8e9e1-ddb2-4067-83aa-535251aa9e4d_w1024_q10_s.jpg)
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Outgoing French President Nicolas Sarkozy and his wife Carla Bruni-Sarkozy leave the Elysee Palace after the handover ceremony.
![Francois Hollande attends a military ceremony in the garden of the Elysee Palace following his investiture in Paris, May 15, 2012.](https://gdb.voanews.com/817fc1c3-1b0b-4dc1-87d2-2bb0e03de836_w1024_q10_s.jpg)
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Francois Hollande attends a military ceremony in the garden of the Elysee Palace following his investiture in Paris, May 15, 2012.