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

To be influential in tomorrow's world, to defend our values and our development model, France needs Europe and Europe needs France.

France is the bridge between northern Europe and southern Europe. I refuse any division. If Europe has been reunified, it's not for it to then fall into egotism or 'each for one's own'. Our duty is to set common rules around the principles of responsibility and solidarity.

If we don't manage to find not just a compromise but a lasting peace agreement, we know perfectly well what the scenario will be. It has a name, it's called war.

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.

Terrorism fuels itself from all kinds of illicit trafficking: drugs, weapons, human beings.

Austerity need not be Europe's fate.