The Associated Press
WASHINGTON (AP) - President Barack Obama has called France's new president-elect to congratulate him on winning Sunday's election.
The White House says Obama told Francois Hollande that he looks forward to working with him on a range of shared economic and security challenges.
Obama invited Hollande to visit the White House before this month's G-8 summit at Camp David, Md. Hollande is also expected to attend the NATO summit in Chicago later this month.
Hollande, a Socialist, defeated conservative incumbent Nicolas Sarkozy to win France's presidency. Hollande promised help for France's downtrodden after years under Sarkozy, a man many voters saw as too friendly with the rich and blamed for France's economic troubles.
Hollande inherits an economy that's a driver of the European Union but is deep in debt.
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