Hollande joins Bastille Day celebrations in Paris

Francois Hollande has been marking Bastille Day for the first time as French president.

He took time to speak to some of those who had lined the streets of Paris for the traditional military parade, before giving a television interview in which he focused on the country’s economic challenges.

In the interview, Hollande said that car maker Peugeot must renegotiate a proposal to lay off 8000 workers. He said the government would not let it happen, adding that the company had made strategic decisions which were not the rights ones.

The president also commented on relations with Germany. Hollande said that he had looked for a compromise at each and every step in relation to the eurozone debt crisis. He said that France had reached an agreement over growth and support for Spain and Italy.

Hollande’s partner Valerie Trierweiler had a front row seat at Saturday’s military parade. She recently sparked a family feud by tweeting support for a political opponent of Hollande’s ex-partner in legislative elections.

The president said on Saturday that it would not happen again and stressed that private matters should be kept private.

Meanwhile, Hollande is not the only one who has been having a bumpy ride. A paratrooper taking part in the Bastille celebrations in Paris was slightly injured when his landing did not quite go to plan.

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