The French people need to have all the facts so they can choose. And I won't be running away from it or hiding from it.

The French people need to have all the facts so they can choose. And I won't be running away from it or hiding from it.

It's disrespectful to tell the French in the morning that you're going to reduce the debt, in the evening that you're not going to make any savings, and the next morning, after thinking about it, that you're going to spend more.

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.

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

I understand that people might be poor if they don't have any work, but I don't accept that someone is poor if they've worked really hard.

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.