I am a believer, but I affirm that in public buildings the law of the Republic overrides religious rules.

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

It's important to show that, while authorizing the demonstrations and promoting diversity of opinion, the Republic can't allow itself to be undermined from within.

It's true that the question of Iraq divided Europe.

I tell fundamentalists that there is no question of them attacking our Republic's foundations.

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

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.