When Francois Hollande met Angela Merkel

Angela Merkel and Francois Hollande meet for the first time in Berlin Credit: Reuters

ITV News Europe Editor James Mates on a stormy day in Europe:

During their first meeting new French President Francois Hollande and German Chancellor Angela Merkel have spoken about their hopes to keep Greece within the eurozone.

Although there was agreement on Greece and a real attempt to show that they will have a good working relationship, there were signs that they have different hopes, especially toward growth. President Hollande was unabashed in his talk about growth.

His message was a hint towards Eurobonds, something which Angela Merkel has rejected as a way of bringing the eurozone crisis under control. The bonds would be issued by the eurozone states together and act in the same way as individual country bonds.

Chancellor Merkel was far more reserved as she spoke about growth.

Francois Hollande in the rain in Paris Credit: Reuters

President Hollande was lucky to have made it to Berlin at all. After his inauguration he took part in the traditional visit to the grave of the unknown warrior to leave a wreath before driving through the streets of Paris during a heavy rainstorm.

When he boarded his plane for his first foreign visit as president it was forced to turn back to Paris after it was struck by lightning. He boarded a second plane and made it to Berlin just over an hour late for the meeting.