French left urges Hollande to drop reforms

PARIS (Reuters) - The left wing of President Francois Hollande's Socialist party urged him to take heed of a stinging defeat in local elections by abandoning pro-business reforms and public deficit targets imposed by the European Union.

Hollande's Socialists lost control of some 150 towns in Sunday's elections marked by a record low turnout and strong gains by opposition mainstream conservatives and the far-right National Front.