Politics and war
Outgoing French President Nicolas Sarkozy (left) congratulates his successor, Socialist Francois Hollande, at the Arc de Triomphe in Paris during a ceremony Tuesday to mark the end of World War II in Europe.
PARIS — In his last state ceremony as France’s president, Nicolas Sarkozy led commemorations Tuesday in Paris marking the end of World War II in Europe, standing side by side with the man who ousted him from power.
Sarkozy was joined by President-elect Francois Hollande, and the two political rivals stood together at the Arc de Triomphe war memorial on the Champs-elysees.
To the stirring anthem “The Marseillaise,” Sarkozy laid a wreath at the statue of Charles de Gaulle, the former president and leader of the Free French Forces. The president also shook hands with military dignitaries, including de Gaulle’s 90-year-old son, Philippe.
The Arc de Triomphe has a special significance for World War II since Adolf Hitler marched his Nazi troops through the iconic monument when Germany took over France in 1940. It also was the site where Allied troops — including many U.S. soldiers — celebrated victory over Germany 67 years ago.