We are a big country, with lots of advantages and history. We are proud to be French. We have to call on patriotism at this time... to ask for an effort in the battle against debt.

To me, it's important to preserve proximity to the people. I wouldn't do anything pretentious, and nothing that hurts the people who voted for me. Triumphalism isn't my thing.

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

Nothing was given to me, nothing was entrusted to me, nothing was assigned to me. Everything I have, I took by right.

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

I don't want to leave my successor and my children to pay for France's debt.

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