Laissez-faire is finished. The all-powerful market that always knows best is finished.

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

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.

Perhaps the mistake I made at the start of my mandate is not understanding the symbolic dimension of the president's role and not being solemn enough in my acts. A mistake for which I would like to apologise or explain myself and which I will not make again. Now, I know the job.

The goal is to meet the challenge of racial interbreeding.

Laissez-faire is finished. The all-powerful market that always knows best is finished.

The French people have chosen change. This change I will put into place.