France's Hollande welcomes shifts on Europe crisis

PARIS – French presidential candidate Francois Hollande has welcomed signs that European attitudes toward austerity programs are shifting.

Hollande, if elected May 6, plans to ask other European leaders right away to renegotiate a treaty on tightening budgets to add measures allowing for state stimulus programs.

European Central Bank chief Mario Draghi talked Wednesday of a "growth compact" in addition to the hard-won fiscal treaty aimed at stemming Europe's debt crisis.

Hollande, speaking on France-Info radio Thursday, said he and Draghi are not on the exact same line but welcomed the ECB chief's mention of growth. "There is a great evolution today" in attitudes about the European debt crisis, Hollande said.

Hollande leads polls ahead of the May 6 election.