If elected, Hollande would be France's first left-wing president since Francois Mitterrand left office in 1995.
U-turn away from the nationalisation and fiscal recklessness that began the Mitterrand presidency in 1981.
"I was very fond of Mitterrand as a man and president, " said one of the mourners.
Mitterrand's long-time mistress, Anne Pingeot, and their 21-year-old daughter, Mazarine, stood next to them.
Mitterrand also pursued hard money policies and deregulation that modernized France, the world's fourth-largest exporter.
But there is a less obvious answer, inherently appealing to any courtier of the Machiavellian Mitterrand.
But the public, angered by the revelations of the Mitterrand era, is surely with her.
Mr Hollande's defenders say he is a pragmatist with a more moderate programme than Mitterrand's.
As De Gaulle had done, Mitterrand was content to accept Henri into his circle of admirers.
Mr Sapin, an ally of Michel Rocard, another of Mitterrand's prime ministers, becomes the civil-service minister.
So Mr Mitterrand gave way gracefully as the German Chancellor Helmut Kohl pressed more forcefully for unification.
After his presidential-election defeat by Mitterrand in 1988, Mr Chirac was reported to have fallen into depression.
First, the Machiavellian Mitterrand, Socialist president from 1981 to 1995, had an interest in supporting Mr Kohl.
Ms Royal graduated in 1980 and, along with Mr Hollande, became an adviser to Socialist President Francois Mitterrand.
Mitterrand came clean about his World War II past, but only late into his final term as president.
Historian Max Ferro said Mitterrand was not alone in feeling torn by his role in the Vichy government.
He is now aiming to become France's first left-wing leader since the late Francois Mitterrand left office in 1995.
"German-French ties under Mitterrand became a formative factor in the European unification process, " added German Finance Minister Theo Waigel.
With his friends from the Mitterrand era, there is little fresh about him.
No French leader from de Gaulle to Mitterrand acknowledged the state's part in deporting Jews to Nazi death camps.
"Mitterrand completely endorsed the project, perhaps including the payment of commissions, because he considered it useful for France, " he said.
Henri and Mitterrand were, in an odd way, two of a kind: Mitterrand the socialist-monarchist and Henri the royal democrat.
That is the anthem of the European Union that Mitterrand worked so hard to build during his 14 years in office.
The callow young man, drawn into dialogue with Mitterrand on matters of deep history, works out, through them, his love life.
And Mr Jospin was for years first secretary of the Socialist Party, and later a minister, under the dubious President Mitterrand.
France's President Mitterrand had got the Germans to commit themselves to a single currency and to a foreign and defence policy.
Unlike Mr Giscard d'Estaing, who had to run against Mr Chirac as well as facing Mitterrand, he has no centre-right rival.
ECONOMIST: France��s presidential election: The anti-Sarkozy vote | The
While France's President Mitterrand told Mrs Thatcher he agreed with her, he was at a loss as to what they could do.
Mr Vedrine, who at the time was a senior advisor to President Mitterrand, also says he only knew of the payments afterward.
The chemistry which used to bind Chancellor Helmut Kohl and President Mitterrand is simply not there with Gerhard Schroder and Jacques Chirac.
CNN: The summit that recognized the changing shape of Europe
应用推荐