Hollande Quotes & Sayings

I don't know if you can hear me, but I have heard you. I heard your willingness to change. Your force, your hope ... and I want to tell you how grateful I am. Thank you, thank you, thank you, people of France. — Francois Hollande

What the French want is coherence, stability and justice. If I am in a favorable position today, it's because my fellow citizens want to make the effort to straighten out the country, and at the same time they want it to be just and equitable. — Francois Hollande

We will continue to hit those who threaten us. — Francois Hollande

The concept of the terrorists is to plunge our country into division. — Francois Hollande

Europe needs an engine, and the Franco-German motor has provided that when the two nations have converged on important topics during critical periods. But that partnership shouldn't be a directorate for other EU members. — Francois Hollande

Francois Hollande, the president of France, and Segolene Royal, a senior cabinet minister who once ran for that post herself, have an exceptionally complicated relationship. The two lived together for 25 years, raising four children over that time. — Elaine Sciolino

I am the president of the youth of France. — Francois Hollande

There's always a risk when the candidate becomes president: Will he deliver what is expected of him? — Francois Hollande

A jolt is necessary. Europe must reaffirm it values of freedom, solidarity, peace. The EU must be understood and controlled by its citizens. I will do everything to secure profound change rather than decline. — Francois Hollande

I have defended the interests of France at the G8 in Washington; afterwards I was at Chicago to announce the withdrawal of French troops from Afghanistan; I have participated in two European summits, so I have fully respected the engagements I made to the French. — Francois Hollande

China ... has the capacity to ensure its stability and growth. — Francois Hollande

My real adversary has no name, no face, no party. It will never be elected, yet it governs - the adversary is the world of finance. — Francois Hollande

I don't want to drive the markets crazy. I don't want to create trouble, but rather order and rules and norms. We have to struggle against financial excesses, those who speculate with sovereign debt, those who develop financial products which have done so much harm. — Francois Hollande

There cannot be any concessions on the matter of human rights or the criteria for visa liberalisation. — Francois Hollande

Our biggest threat is not too much Europe, but too little. — Francois Hollande

Whatever happened during the French presidential campaign will leave no hard feelings. I perfectly understand why Angela Merkel supported Nicolas Sarkozy because of the action they have taken together, even though I have questioned its results, and because of their shared political sensibility. — Francois Hollande

Islamist terrorism has declared war against us, against France, Europe, the entire world. — Francois Hollande

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. — Francois Hollande

I support the French team - I go to all their matches - but I don't want to use sport for politics. That's not good for sport or for politics. — Francois Hollande

I must demonstrate I'm closer to people - a simpler, calmer presence, yet someone who can also make decisions and obtain promised results. — Francois Hollande

In 2012, those French Muslim people voted massively for Francois Hollande against Nicolas Sarkozy. With the results of elections getting even tighter, those votes can make the difference. I am obviously not in favour of a "community electorate," however, pressure is so great on them that I can easily understand how it can affect their votes. — Tariq Ramadan

Make no mistake: we will win, and groups like ISIL will lose. — Francois Hollande

Austerity need not be Europe's fate. — Francois Hollande

Be happy, be proud, be generous, be respectful, be proud to be French citizens. — Francois Hollande

I am attached to the French language. I will defend the ubiquitous use of French. — Francois Hollande

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. — Francois Hollande

The British people have decided to leave. It is a sad decision but one which I respect. The vote puts the European Union in difficulties. It must recognise its shortfalls. — Francois Hollande

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. — Francois Hollande

[Francois] Hollande said the United States and Russia should join forces. And his words specifically were to fight this terrorist army in a broad single coalition. — Corey Flintoff

We find ourselves in a difficult situation in Europe. There's a crisis, weak growth, unemployment ... my duty is to ensure that by the end of my mandate France is in a better state than it was at the beginning. — Francois Hollande

Terrorism fuels itself from all kinds of illicit trafficking: drugs, weapons, human beings. — Francois Hollande

I am not deaf. I hear the anger. I see the dissatisfaction, and I have to go faster. — Francois Hollande

My security is assured everywhere, and at any moment. — Francois Hollande

Private life is always, at certain times, a challenge. — Francois Hollande

My obligation, if I become president, is to give another direction to Europe than the one that is being forced upon us today. — Francois Hollande

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. — Francois Hollande

When I travel officially ... and when I travel on a private basis, I have protection that is less suffocating. But I am protected everywhere. — Francois Hollande

Germany's Angela Merkel exudes an atmosphere of elderly exhaustion and pooped-out pessimism. Britain's David Cameron, though by nature exuberant, feels he has to look and sound glum. And France's leader, Francois Hollande, seems determined to drive every successful businessman out of the country. — Paul Johnson

I bow down in memory of the victims, and I come to tell my Armenian friends that we will never forget the tragedies that your people has endured. — Francois Hollande

Doesn't everyone have their hair done? — Francois Hollande

France needs to improve training and education and the level of skills of its workforce. — Francois Hollande

The world owes an ecological debt to the African continent. — Francois Hollande

My mission is to put France back on its feet. The priority is employment. Efforts have to be made, but those efforts must be made fairly. — Francois Hollande

Everyone must understand that you can't demand solidarity when there's a problem and shirk your duties when there are solutions. — Francois Hollande

We must not lose time, neither for dealing in a suitable way with the question of the United Kingdom's exit, nor for providing a new impetus for the E.U. — Francois Hollande

The Republic will destroy terrorism. — Francois Hollande

We're all taking part in this solidarity. The French, the Germans, just like all the Europeans in the ESM. Let's stop thinking that there's only one country who's going to pay for the others. That's false. — Francois Hollande

People need to see signs of equal treatment across society. — Francois Hollande

It's not for Germany to decide for the rest of Europe. — Francois Hollande

The real threat comes from terrorism. — Francois Hollande

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. — Francois Hollande

The extremists wanted to divide France; it came together. — Francois Hollande

I want the French people to respect values that allow each individual to practice his or her faith, but in the frame of our common rules of secularism. — Francois Hollande

I don't like indecent, unearned wealth. But it is legitimate for an entrepreneur who has created something to make a good living. — Francois Hollande

Is France a northern European export powerhouse, or a Mediterranean indebted and dependent economy? Yes to both. — Francois Hollande

I can't separate the fight with terrorism and the fight against global warming. These are two big global challenges we have to face up to because we have to leave our children more than a world free of terror; we also owe them a planet protected from catastrophes. — Francois Hollande

One thing that makes France different from other countries is the tradition of social solidarity. People from all backgrounds and political positions are willing to contribute for services and protection of society as a whole - but on the condition that money is being spent effectively and that everyone is paying their part. — Francois Hollande

I gave myself an objective, to be the second president from Correze and finally to be the successor to Francois Mitterrand. — Francois Hollande

Europe must act quickly where it's needed and must, once and for all, let member states handle what is their exclusive domain. — Francois Hollande

To resolve the climate crisis, good will, statements of intent are not enough. We are at breaking point. — Francois Hollande

The German-French friendship is indispensable for Europe. And I will never let myself be carried away to making statements that would change it. — Francois Hollande

My policies are producing results and will produce even more. — Francois Hollande

There must be protection of the external borders. — Francois Hollande

Our common responsibility is to put Europe's interests first. — Francois Hollande

In an election, one needs both hope and audacity. — Francois Hollande

France, because it was attacked cowardly, shamelessly, violently, France will be merciless against the barbarians of Daesh. — Francois Hollande

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. — Nicolas Sarkozy

We are absolutely clear: when these unaccompanied minors have a family link in the United Kingdom, then they must go to the United Kingdom. And they must go quickly and in an efficient fashion. — Francois Hollande

Nicolas Sarkozy said he could see a wave rising. For once he was right. The wave's coming; it's high, its strong, and it's going to smack him in the face. — Francois Hollande

My adversary is the world of finance. — Francois Hollande

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. — Francois Hollande

France wants Britain to remain in the E.U.; indeed, how can we imagine that friendly nation that is our ally and played a role on the international stage could be outside the E.U.? — Francois Hollande

I noticed that parts of the opposition have been hostile to any revision of the constitution. — Francois Hollande

I don't want euro bonds that serve to mutualize the entire debt of the countries in the euro zone. That can only work in the longer-term. I want euro bonds to be used to finance targeted investments in future-oriented growth projects. It isn't the same thing. Let's call them 'project bonds' instead of euro bonds. — Francois Hollande

We have chased away the clouds, the sky is all 'rose.' — Francois Hollande

Francois Hollande is an intelligent man. I do not have a problem with him. The only thing is, he has never held office at the state level. Honestly, can you imagine Francois Hollande as president of France? Imagine it! — Nicolas Sarkozy

Everyone must be in the same competitive situation, including on the fiscal level. — Francois Hollande

Mitterrand had a sense for symbols, and he was the first Socialist president since 1958. He wanted to show that there is historical continuity, a connection with the great figures of French history. — Francois Hollande

The arguments in the Brexit vote and in the American presidential campaign are about the same. In a friendly way, may I also give some advice to the American people to make the right choice when the moment comes. — Francois Hollande

If the discussion centres on the essential principle of the E.U., the free movement of people and the ability to make decisions together, in that case, we don't want treaty change. — Francois Hollande

An education program is, by definition, a societal program. Work should be done at school, rather than at home. — Francois Hollande

What is happening in the Sahel for the past several months is that terrorists have structured themselves, have installed themselves. It's not simply a menace for west Africa. — Francois Hollande

The Republic will not be destroyed by terrorism. — Francois Hollande

If the Charlie Hebdo attacks in Paris had nothing to do with Islam as President Francois Hollande suggested, why did he invite Muslim community leaders to meet him the day after the tragedy? — Amir Taheri

When I took part in European leaders summits, it was sometimes unpleasant for me to hear Romanian, Polish, Portuguese, and Italian friends speak English, although I admit that on an informal basis, first contacts can be made in this language. Nevertheless, I will defend everywhere the use of the French language. — Francois Hollande

Calling into question the Touquet deal on the pretext that Britain has voted for Brexit and will have to start negotiations to leave the union doesn't make sense. — Francois Hollande

We want the United Kingdom to remain in the European Union. — Francois Hollande

Our enemy in Syria is Daesh: it's not about containing but destroying this organisation. — Francois Hollande

It will be very important for us to continue to keep up the necessary pressure, the necessary vigilance, for there to be peace in Ukraine, our trust in the goodwill of President (Vladimir) Putin is limited. It is why we have to maintain our decision about sanctions. — Francois Hollande

I could have made a fortune in cheeseburgers, but I finally chose politics. — Francois Hollande

France is no longer herself when she is folded in on herself, tormented by ignorance and intolerance. The country would plunge into decline if it refused to be itself, if it was afraid of the future, afraid of the world. — Francois Hollande

I have given myself one objective, to be the long-awaited successor to Francois Mitterrand. — Francois Hollande

To be influential in tomorrow's world, to defend our values and our development model, France needs Europe and Europe needs France. — Francois Hollande

During a term in office there are highs and lows, but what counts is that the goal is set as well as the means to achieve it, and the force we put into getting results. — Francois Hollande

The first time that I went to the United States was in 1974. I was 20 years old. America was in crisis. — Francois Hollande

I commit myself to serve my country. — Francois Hollande

Mandela's message will never die. It will continue to inspire freedom fighters and give confidence to people who defend just causes and universal rights. — Francois Hollande

I prefer that people remember me as a president who made reforms rather than a president who did nothing. — Francois Hollande

ISIL struck France because it is 'free' and 'the nation of human rights'. This is not a war of civilisation, as these assassins don't have any. This is a war against the jihadist menace that threatens not just France. — Francois Hollande

Symbols mean a lot in politics. They indicate a will and create new realities. — Francois Hollande