PARIS - Francois Hollande, a major contender in France’s presidential race, is widely known as “Monsieur Normal” — even by his political opponents — and the Socialist leader has been exploiting that image to his advantage.

“I prefer being a normal candidate rather than an abnormal president,” Mr. Hollande said in an interview on French television, alluding to incumbent Nicolas Sarkozy’s “bling-bling” presidency named for his taste for yachts and events at the elite Fouquet’s restaurant in Paris.

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