“If I get as many kisses during my mandate, everything will be alright,” joked Hollande, “but that’s not so sure.”

In a nursery school in the town of Dieudonné, in the north of France, Hollande was greeted with unusual warmth on Thursday, channel France TV reported.

First, a little boy came up to Hollande and told the president he was “handsome”. 

Hollande answered “that’s sweet” and gave the boy a kiss on the cheek. Education minister Vincent Peillon and other high officials present found the scene very amusing.

But the move also encouraged other children to gather round the president and grab a kiss. 

“I get lots of kisses,” said the president, “I am the president of kisses!” (“le président des bisous”)

Talking to the cameramen, Hollande joked that he hoped they had recorded the scene because “it could always come in handy”.