Hollande visits L'arc de Triomphe

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Newly sworn-in French President François Hollande led a traditional procession down Paris' famous Champs Élysées Avenue on Tuesday (May 15) after receiving military honours in the grounds of the Élysée Palace.

He paid homage to the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, lighting a flame under the Arc de Triomphe.

Hollande was sworn in as France's first Socialist president in 17 years in a brief ceremony on Tuesday. Later on in the day, he heads to Berlin to challenge German Chancellor Angela Merkel's austerity prescription for Europe.

In his inaugural speech to some 400 guests, Hollande said he would seek to amend a European pact to add growth-boosting measures to deficit-cutting policies that critics say are dampening the bloc's growth prospects.

Marking his differences with outgoing President Nicolas Sarkozy, who some faulted for being all-controlling and too impulsive, Hollande said he would run a "dignified" and "sober" presidency and ensure parliament plays its full role.