The German-French friendship is indispensable for Europe. And I will never let myself be carried away to making statements that would change it.

Germany and France are pinning their hopes on young people, in terms of education, science and innovation.

Before you, I engage myself to serve my country with the devotion and the exemplary that this post demands. I understand responsibilities of the job and, as such, I give a republican salute to Nicolas Sarkozy who has led France for 5 years and who deserves all of our respect.

I gave myself an objective, to be the second president from Correze and finally to be the successor to Francois Mitterrand.

It will be very important for us to continue to keep up the necessary pressure, the necessary vigilance, for there to be peace in Ukraine, our trust in the goodwill of President (Vladimir) Putin is limited. It is why we have to maintain our decision about sanctions.

I perfectly understood President Obama's attitude throughout the French presidential campaign. He had no reason to distance himself from Nicolas Sarkozy. It's the basic solidarity that leaders who worked together owe to each other.

That is now my mission: to provide a European vision of growth, employment, prosperity - in one word, our future.