Nothing is more destructive than the gap between people's perceptions of their own day-to-day economic well-being and what politicians and statisticians are telling them about the economy

Franchement, quand je survole certains pays européens (les éoliennes) ne donne pas envie. (Frankly, when I fly over some European countries, their turbines don't fill me with envy.)

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.

Europe is right to tell us to reduce this [France's budget] deficit and spend less. Europe is right to demand this of us but cannot at the same time demand us to increase our dues.

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

France now has a new president and he must be respected. I assume full responsibility for this defeat.

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.