Francois Hollande has become president of France following a ceremony at the Elysee Palace in central Paris.

french president-elect francois hollande arrives for the handover ceremony with outgoing president nicolas sarkozy, tuesday, may 15, 2012 at the elysee palace in paris. (ap photo/jacques brinon)

president francois hollande waves from his car as he drives down the champs elysees avenue in paris, france, after the handover ceremony with outgoing french president nicolas sarkozy, tuesday, may 15, 2012. hollande became president of france on tuesday in a ceremony steeped in tradition, taking over a country with deep debts and worried about europe's future and pledging to make it a fairer place. (ap photo/laurent cipriani)

outgoing french president nicolas sarkozy, left, welcomes president-elect francois hollande before the handover ceremony, tuesday, may 15, 2012 at the elysee palace in paris. (ap photo/christophe ena, pool)

outgoing french president nicolas sarkozy and his wife carla bruni-sarkozy leave the elysee palace after the handover ceremony while new president francois hollande, top right, and his companion valerie trierweiler look on, tuesday, may 15, 2012 in paris. (ap photo/michel euler)

france's new president francois hollande shakes hand with supporters after paying homage to french physicist marie curie, at the curie institute in paris, tuesday may15, 2012. francois hollande paid respect to polish-born physicist marie curie, famous for her work on radioactivity and twice a winner of the nobel prize.(ap photo/remy de la mauviniere/pool)

new president francois hollande delivers his speech after the handover ceremony, tuesday, may 15, 2012 at the elysee palace in paris. (ap photo/remy de la mauviniere, pool)