The French like burgers, Madonna and Miami Vice.

Europe is not a choice, it is a necessity, but it needs to be rethought, refounded.

I don't give any gifts to the rich.

Nothing - I mean nothing - and no-one - I mean no-one - will stop me going through to the end, and trying to be ready for the challenge of 2007.

France is the country with the highest taxes in Europe along with Sweden...something of which I am not proud.

Francois Hollande is the president of the republic, he must be respected. I want to wish him good luck in the midst of these tests.

We need to profoundly revise all of our taxes and charges. The aim is to tax pollution - notably fossil fuels - more, and tax work less