I don’t like indecent, unearned wealth. But it is legitimate for an entrepreneur who has created something to make a good living.
If we don’t manage to find not just a compromise but a lasting peace agreement, we know perfectly well what the scenario will be. It has a name, it’s called war.
I commit myself to serve my country.
There cannot be prosperity without security.
To me, it’s important to preserve proximity to the people. I wouldn’t do anything pretentious, and nothing that hurts the people who voted for me. Triumphalism isn’t my thing.
A large country with such outstanding economic performance as Germany cannot forget that it owes some of its success to demand from other European countries.
As a president I will be like the candidate that I am, a respectful candidate, a rallying candidate, a normal candidate for a normal presidency, at the service of the Republic.
I won’t wait until the end of my term to say I made mistakes at the beginning. That’s too late. I will try to adopt the proper behaviour, if the French give me the chance, right from the start.
Austerity need not be Europe’s fate.
The British have been particularly shy about the issues of financial regulation, and attentive only to the interests of the City – hence their reluctance to see the introduction of a tax on financial transactions and tax harmonisation in Europe.
The German-French friendship is indispensable for Europe. And I will never let myself be carried away to making statements that would change it.
I am attached to the French language. I will defend the ubiquitous use of French.
An education program is, by definition, a societal program. Work should be done at school, rather than at home.
There are tensions abroad where people don’t understand our attachment to the freedom of speech, we’ve seen the protests, and I would say that in France all beliefs are respected.
I think that France has not made it clear enough recently to our German friends how important it is to introduce euro bonds as a tool against speculation. And how the necessary budget discipline needs to be accompanied by growth.
Not in the constitution, but I would propose a law to the French parliament that provides for reducing the budget deficit year by year, until we have reached a balanced budget by 2017.
If I become president, France will not continue with the same policies as under Nicolas Sarkozy – both in domestic policy and in foreign and European policy.
I perfectly understood President Obama’s attitude throughout the French presidential campaign. He had no reason to distance himself from Nicolas Sarkozy. It’s the basic solidarity that leaders who worked together owe to each other.
My dear citizens, fellow citizens, French people, this 6th of May, have just chosen change by bringing me the presidency of the French republic. I feel the honor, which has been given to me and the task, the important task faced beyond – in front of you to serve my country.
I know where I’m going and I have told the French. I am sure if hope is there, we will be able to put France back on its feet to live better in five years than we do today.