Socialist Hollande Pledges Tax Breaks End, Eased Pension Measure

Francois Hollande, the Socialist candidate seeking to unseat President Nicolas Sarkozy, pledged to ease the government’s pension overhaul and increase taxes to pay for the reversal.

Hollande, 57, the frontrunner in the presidential campaign, advocated forcing banks to separate retail and investment operations. He’ll raise levies on the wealthy to finance an expansion of the civil service while respecting budget-cutting commitments. The measures were among 60 in a platform published today.