Hollande seeks wider EU fiscal pact / Business backing for Sarkozy starts to cool

Report of a FT interview with Michel Sapin, a senior adviser to François Hollande, the French Socialist presidential candidate in 2012. Mr Hollande was not seeking to unpick the European Union fiscal pact but wanted to complete it with tools to promote economic growth.

Other features discuss the campaigns of Mr Hollande and President Sarkozy in the two weeks leading up to the second round of voting in the 2012 French Presidential Election.

ESO: Background information: Draghi urges eurozone not to give up on austerity http://www.europeansources.info/record/draghi-urges-eurozone-not-to-give-up-on-austerity/

EurActiv, 25.4.12: MP: Bundestag ready to accept cosmetic changes to fiscal pact http://www.euractiv.com/euro-finance/bundestag-accept-cosmetic-changes-fiscal-pact-mp-news-512349

France24, 25.4.12: Hollande proposes four changes to EU fiscal pact http://www.france24.com/en/20120425-france-presidential-election-2012-hollande-socialist-eu-treaty-four-proposals-eurobond

EurActiv, 26.4.12: Merkel backs Draghi's call for growth pact http://www.euractiv.com/euro-finance/draghi-calls-growth-pact-merkel-agrees-news-512366

ESO: Background information: Germany fears French threat to EU fiscal pact http://www.europeansources.info/record/germany-fears-french-threat-to-eu-fiscal-pact/

ESO: Background information: Hollande demands change to fiscal treaty http://www.europeansources.info/record/hollande-demands-change-to-fiscal-treaty/

ESO: Background information: French presidential election, 2012 http://www.europeansources.info/record/french-presidential-election-2012/

EUObserver, 26.4.12: Hollande sees his calls for 'growth pact' vindicated http://euobserver.com/19/116043

The Economist, 27.4.12: Is this the most dangerous man in Europe? (via PressEurop) http://www.presseurop.eu/en/content/article/1885141-most-dangerous-man-europe

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