There have been major disagreements within the European Union.

The Republic is open and tolerant but also knows how and when to be firm and make its values respected.

It's a different outlook, and one that I understand. When you are a former member of the Warsaw Pact, when you have lived behind the Berlin Wall, when you have experienced the communist systems that existed in these countries, for them, the West represents hope.

We believe that the European Union is facing a truly historic choice.

France has a very important relationship with Germany. But that does not mean that we agree about everything or that two of our universities or companies are not going to compete.

A country like France now does two-thirds of its trade within the euro zone.

The Europe we are in the process of building is the Europe of the 21st century; it's not the Europe of the 20th century.