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Feminist French president?

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Jane Osmond
WVoN co-editor

Left-winger François Hollande has won the French general election.

Hollande, who got 51% of the vote, is a moderate social democrat, and was ushered in after an astounding (to the UK anyway) 80% of the electorate voted.

According to the Guardian he identifies as a feminist, although perhaps his current partner helps to keep him on the straight and narrow. A political journalist for the magazine Paris Match, Valerie Trierweiler allegedly slapped a male colleague when he made a sexist comment.

Although his first task is to rework a deal on France’s government debt, Hollande made some pretty impressive pre-election promises:

-guarantee an equal number of men and women in his cabinet

-reintroduce a ministry of women’s rights

-pass a law on sexual harrassment

-raise taxes for corporations and those earning over 1m euros a year

-raise the minimum wage

-hire 60,000 teachers

-lower the retirement age for some workers.

This all sounds fantastic, and, if he keeps his promises, the rest of the world will look on with awe and hope for the future.

Even better, if a man can get elected using social justice and feminist credentials, then maybe, just maybe, we might see actual women being elected to the top jobs in Europe some day soon.

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