The new French Socialist Prime Minster Manuel Valls has addressed the National Assembly for the first time following his appointment last week. br br The Socialists suffered a mauling in the recent municipal elections and Valls set out the government’s main priorities for the next three years. br br France faces an uphill struggle as the new prime minister made clear: “Too much suffering and not enough hope, that is the situation France faces. I want a change of pace. We will ease the tax burden in order to stimulate the economy. We will spend 50 billion euros less from 2015 to 2017. This will take a great deal of effort, effort you must all share. I ask you with a beating heart, for France I ask for your trust. A trust we must give back to France,” said a passionate Valls.br br The National Assembly is due to take a vote of confidence in the government with the administration likely to win, despite a split with the Greens last week and grumblings from the left of President Hollande’s Socialist party.