Speech from the Socialist candidate Francois Hollande before the presidential elections, May 3, 2012

Toulouse Good evening!

When I got nominated for the presidential election, I had a hope and only one certainty. The hope was to become the next head of state. The certainty was that if I was a candidate, I will close my campaign here in Toulouse. Toulouse because it is the pink city, because it is that which has been conquered by the Left and Pierre Cohen. Toulouse also because it is the proud city that loves brawls but loves victory.

Toulouse, because it is the home town where borderless. Here, when we speak of Spain, it is a consideration, it is with friendship is with fraternity and not with contempt or condescension. Toulouse also because it is a suffering city, which has been profoundly marked by the drama of AZF, and lately by these terrible murders, murders in the Jewish school where I was there recently. Yes, I have to bow my head, and this is the meaning of my presence to these families suffering in their flesh by these terrible murders. But I'm also here with you because I want to resume loop that is interrupted now.

I come here after François Mitterrand tell the French that the new Left is ready to lead the country, and that one of their own can become the successor to François Mitterrand. Lionel Jospin reminded that here in Toulouse, François Mitterrand was wont to complete its most prestigious election campaigns - particularly, each has the memory of what was done in 1988. Many were already there. I'm not superstitious.

It is not enough to make a big rally in Toulouse to win the presidential election, but it is a condition. I'm not yet convinced by the forces of the mind ... But who knows if today they do not carry us, too! What I do know however, is that through Toulouse, Francois Mitterrand addressed the entire French people and he let him off, within hours or days before the big event, or choice . Well, we are in 2012, three days of an appointment that we had given each other for months, and that happens.

This appointment must be that of victory; this appointment must be one of confidence; this appointment must be one of renewed hope. This appointment, we need to share it with a majority of our citizens. The conditions are satisfied: we won the first round on April 22. We came out in the lead. We left behind the Right. We made the best result of a Socialist candidate. And I want to thank you already for this first effort. It was only possible because we gathered. We gathered, socialists, through the primary citizen and I want to salute all the candidates who had taken presented: Ségolène Royal who was our candidate in 2007, our first secretary Martine Aubry, Arnaud Montebourg and Manuel Vals Jean -Michel Baylet, who agreed to participate, too, in this consultation. But this first meeting would not have been enough on its own. It was appropriate to add other movements.

And I want to acknowledge here also the presence of Robert Hue, Jean-Pierre Chevènement and environmentalists, who come now bring us their assistance. And also, even if Jean-Luc Mélenchon is not there, the Left Fronts are with us. And I want to commend the decisions that were taken in the first round, to bring us all the votes - and I mean all the votes - to allow the victory. Here there is also the presence of Lionel Jospin. I would not now a candidate for president if he had not helped me, after our victory in parliamentary elections in 1997, becoming the first secretary. I owe this confidence, this responsibility. He associated with all major decisions of his government, a government that has allowed major reforms for the country. Salute them! Universal health coverage, personalized allocation of autonomy, 35 hours and over one million jobs created, youth-jobs and many reforms, parity, PACS, which are the honor of the Left and Republic.

If I gave myself a goal, it is sure to become the next president for France, to allow the Left to be at the height of France. But I also, when I declared myself, made this vow to myself. If we win, and we will prevail on May 6, I want it to erase the cruel memory of April 21, 2002, and we finally wrote the page that we should have already opened that year then . And I want to acknowledge the presence of Jean-Pierre Baylet, the President of the Senate, the first socialist president of the Senate. Right now the reproaches us: we would soon all powers. We control the local authorities, by suffrage. We do not have it installed break! We have the majority in the Senate but we have not the Presidency of the Republic, no more the majority in the National Assembly. And even universal suffrage would have given us all these responsibilities, and we ask them, well we would do the best use for the Republic. And far be it from us to capture everything, control everything, everything preempt. No ! We do not want power for ourselves.

We want the power to put at the service of the French people. My dear friends, we are three days. It becomes short and it will seem to me very long. We have all the conditions to win and yet nothing is done, nothing is certain, nothing is conquered, nothing is decided. And we have before us still so many unknowns that must require unrestrained mobilization of undecided yet too many. I hope the debate will convince them.

Ah, this debate! The incumbent founded so many hopes on him. You know his qualities of modesty, restraint and reserve. He had proclaimed that he would ultimately short work of this debate. I'm afraid he remained hungry ... At the end of our meeting, moreover, given its development, I wondered - but finally I held back - if it is not necessary to propose a second . But I was especially great pride. One to represent you, to tell him in the face, what you had on the heart for so many years, after so much disrespect, so much injustice, so much inconsistency. I was your spokesman, on an evening. And there was so much to say.

But now it's up to you to express in the face what you have to say. It is May 6 It's Sunday. I ask you not to take the easy way, to frivolity at the naivety of thinking that because opinion polls, for so many months, we announce victorious, it would be done. No ! As long as the French did not vote, do not imagine that the victory is there. The victory you seek it, the victory you deserve it, you will win the win, the victory you snatch from the hands of the Right to offer it to the whole people. It is true that the feeling is that the Right is out of breath, nervous wreck.

And to say after the end of its course. At the same time, realize that it will, to the end, moving, battle, fight, to prevent alternation. It will use the arguments of fear. You heard yesterday pronounced them. Using immigration abroad, to make the French believe they would be threatened in their identity in their life, in their jobs.

Well no, we refuse to abroad, immigrated to the heart of this campaign. And the Republic resolutely and honorably apply its laws, without it being necessary to show anyone as a danger or a threat. The other fear instilled each time, is that of foreigners to vote in municipal elections, with the shortcut that was committed yesterday to suggest that foreigners are Muslims and that Muslims would necessarily communitarians. And why? Today, in the Republic, there are French citizens who are of all faiths, including Muslim and who vote in elections without ever community question is asked, and she never will be in the secular Republic we want.

And then there is the fear of disorder, of chaos. If the Left was coming, it would be the situation in Spain - poor Spain - Greece. 31 years ago, it was Poland which was regarded as the main risk. But there will be none of that because every time the Left came to the responsibilities of the country, she straightened, she rebalanced, she carried the country. What lessons could the Right we do? Unemployment is at a record high, deficits have accumulated, the public debt increased by € 600 billion, growth is off, the external trade balance, increased taxation, we made the demonstration yesterday. And this right would give us lessons of good management! No. The main risk, this is not the alternation. The alternation is a chance. The main risk is that the Right could stay five more years in power. While the incumbent hopes that speculation will run wild.

But markets do not move. It stimulates as he can. Nothing helps. France borrows on the markets for its own debt at interest rates that are historically low. And I have no doubt that this will be the day after our victory because we, we do not start our five-year going to ask our European partners to turn from our recovery obligations of our public accounts, as he has done it, there are 5 years. So after fears still fears, now the incumbent heightens the divisions that may cross our country. Here he invented the real work - as if there was a fake! True unionists compared to those who call to vote for us - they have every right! True French over wrong! But that would be true and French that would be false? And who could establish the division? We here together, we love France and we say: we are France and we disclaim anyone, regardless of its political sensitivity, whatever his convictions being French like us on equal rights and duties.

There are not two France who compete in this presidential campaign. No, there is France who will choose his destiny. And the day after the presidential election, the head of state to be chosen will have to gather all France and be worthy of the trust which will be given to him! Labor value belongs to the whole nation. The work must be regarded, respected, valued, paid. For us, the value of work is sacred because we asked for so long by the trade union struggle, for political struggle, the right to work for all. Patriotism is also a common value. There are no here the most zealous patriots than others, or more timid than others! Only the French attached to the future of their nation. As for the borders, which would again settle in public debates, we recognize geographical boundaries, political boundaries. They exist, they must be defended, national borders, European borders.

But this is not the Right who participated in liberal globalization, Europe's competition, open markets, which would teach us! If the borders are erased, it is because the Right, exactly, wanted the free movement of goods, financial products, while preventing the free movement of persons. If borders must be restored, they must also be morally. The border, it must be placed between the general interest and special interests. The border, it must be placed between money and politics. The border, it must be placed strictly between the values ​​of the Republic and the values ​​of those who question the Republic. And I, what I offer you is a new frontier, policy, border social, ecological, economic, we always went along to push injustice, to conquer new rights and new freedoms. That's borders need to move!

That hope must be created! That's the change that I propose! This is the meaning of the gathering in justice, youth rally around this great cause which is to provide the coming generation a better future than ours! But we also, in the French presidential election, to look beyond our borders. Ever national elections has been more important for the entire European continent. Everywhere, we are expected, hoped, watched. I want to salute the Spanish friends, Portuguese, like when I was at Lille Martine Aubry with friends Belgian, Dutch.

And I do not forget the German friends who hope we too ahead, because they want a different Europe, a Europe of growth, a Europe of employment, a Europe of industry, a Europe research, a Europe of culture! So since we started campaigning on the reorientation of European construction, we gradually moves the lines. At the start, skepticism was high when we said we wanted to renegotiate the fiscal pact and add a growth pact. But for some reason, as the polls predicted our victory, that the spirits were beginning to open, that consciences were lit ...

And today, there is no declaration of a European head without him back on the growth objective. It's good ! Even Merkel - do not say anything about it, we have to work with it soon ... - starts to say that she is also for growth. This is great! The President of the European Central Bank, which is not among our friends, also wants a growth pact! The duty of ours, the responsibility is mine, is that the victory of May 6 is felt throughout Europe as a moment of hope, as a moment of confidence, possible recovery. I receive messages of Greece, Portugal, Spain, Italy, wherever they tell us: "Above all do not miss your chance, you, the French people, let's not just in France but in alternation Europe! ". We have a victory.

And we are told that we would be isolated? But who is today in Europe? Who is the candidate I am or the incumbent? Who is more isolated in France, that I am the candidate who receives calls from candidates left or the right candidate who gets no support from nowhere? For still be incumbent, having rejected all other applications and find themselves right in the second round without even a call to a disclaimer for him - after all he made to run after either - , it is nevertheless the efforts are not rewarded! But there is justice. When you've been a president of failure, you can not be a candidate of hope! My dear friends, I finish the campaign here in Toulouse. I want to remind the places and faces I encountered throughout recent months.

A presidential campaign, not just proposals or measures, it is also testimony, revelations, meetings. I left the Corrèze department gave me his constant support for so many years. I went in Florange in Moselle support employees of ArcelorMittal struggling, again, to preserve their working tool. I went to Boulogne-sur-Mer meet hard hit trades of fishing. I went to meet Laval milk producers, farmers also suffer from price not remunerate their work. I went in Aulnay-Sous-Bois in Seine-Saint-Denis to meet Peugeot workers who care for the future of their site. I went to Marseille to meet the employees of Fralib also fighting for their company and their jobs.

I went to Vaulx-en-Velin, in Clichy-sous-Bois, meet neighborhoods, young people in these neighborhoods where they are 40% unemployed and where, in buildings, there is no elevator , there is no electricity, there is no hot water. This is the France today as it is, I met! I went to see overseas territories which also suffer from the abandonment of the state, where youth unemployment reached 60% in Guyana, Mayotte, Martinique, Guadeloupe, Reunion. And we think this will be of no consequence? There is danger, there is a threat! And I have met so many men and women who have indulged their despair or their requirement. First, all trades of Education waiting for another policy, which have been achieved in their honor through these job cuts, through the questioning of teacher training, destruction of RASED, of the most disadvantaged children support networks. I met health workers, nurses, aides, awaiting a new hospital policy. I have seen employees who have not had throughout the five-year Nicolas Sarkozy the slightest nudge to their minimum wage. I saw brave business leaders who worry about not being able to access credit, for lack of a banking system that has not been reformed.

I saw discriminated in hiring, housing, because they do not have skin color or not from the neighborhood that is right. I was stopped by disabled people who ask, again, dignity and equality. And finally, there was no place where I should not be made without me that youth come to me and asks me to take the place it deserves! A presidential campaign, it is not just a project. It is also an understanding, it is also attention, it is also a caring, a relationship that is established between the candidate and the people themselves. I said at the beginning of my campaign I loved people when others preferred the money. Well, I like even more after this campaign the French! And I'm still suspicious money! My dear friends, this campaign is over. A serious decision will be taken by the French people. It is possible that we choose; it is also possible to renounce to. This will depend on you. But if he decided to choose us, we have to that time the immense responsibility to succeed. I have not suggested that I should not be able to hold. I have not promised that I will not comply. Because I heard your cry, your call. French Left, do not let us down! Succeed! Straighten the country! Put some justice!

Give youth a better future! Yes, it will be hard to win. It will be hard to succeed. The problems will not disappear with the incumbent. If only he could bring problems with it - although, I admit, it is the first problem! We have to make courageous reforms: tax reform, banking reform, land reform, reform to support production. Yes, we must make an effort, but it will be done in righteousness. We have to control our debt, reduce our deficits, but we will do so by calling the contribution of more favored, more affluent, and we will remove the so-called social VAT and which ultimately only intended to collect about consumers . We have to restore confidence, confidence in the government action, confidence in politics, confidence in the future. We will have to reorient Europe. It will be long and I'll need all the support there, the forces of the country.

Because the issue is not just national, European. It is also international. Heavy decisions ahead. The first, to withdraw our troops from Afghanistan by the end of 2012. The second is to continue to put pressure on Iran to prevent it access to nuclear weapons. Continue implacable struggle against dictators, especially in Syria. Avoid terrorism in the Sahel area of ​​Africa. Fight against global warming. Develop our relations with Africa, with the aim of the fight against corruption and commitment that should be ours to bring democracy wherever it is expected. Hire another relationship with Méditeranée, particularly with the countries of the Arab Spring. That's all we have to do. But until then, we must win. Three days !

Three days to five! Three days of effort for five years of success! I will need all the forces of France, the elect of the Republic that I respect, social partners that I consider essential for the mobilization of the country, associations, civic commitments that are the foundation of the Republic. I will need all the strength of youth without which nothing is possible, but also of labor forces, the intelligence forces, the forces of research, culture, and here in Toulouse, a city of future, inventive town, city research, more than anywhere else I want to talk to you!

We need to consider our researchers, creators as an opportunity, as a pride for our country, as the same conditions of our future. How can we accept in France today is better than a trader paid a researcher? A speculator earns more an entrepreneur? We have the best conditions for research, Nobel Prizes, recognized schools in any area. We have a culture that once again our honor, a living culture, a culture open. Well I will fight, if I become the next president of the Republic, to make culture a priority, the project that will unite us. France every child has the right to beauty, to art, to intellectual works.

Dear friends, the time of the alternation has come! We are waiting for so long now. Ten years there has been the Left in power. Seventeen years there has not been a leftist president the responsibility of the country. During all these years, the most humble suffered the weight of injustice. During all these years, the most modest sacrifices were called when the more privileged were protected. During all these years, the money was sacred fortunes and devoted. During all these years, liberal globalization has unfolded. Finance has increased. Europe has weakened. During all these years, ten years, seventeen years, the Republican promise was suspended. Utilities declined. Inequalities have widened.

But all these years, ten years, we have gradually built a hope. We fought, we fought, we conquered - local, Senate majority. During all these years, ten years, we have prepared a project. He's there ! Here it is: ten years of effort, ten years of reconstruction, ten years of battle, ten years of unbearable wait. And we are three days, three days to reach that ten years then end with a great victory, a great victory. The victory, I feel it coming. I see the victory.

The victory, she arrives. Victory is at hand, yours the hand of every citizen will take the ballot, I do not tell you which one, and from that vote will then change. Nothing is ever given. The alternation is still a conquest. It is also an enlargement. We have to go beyond what we are here to citizens of France who have a certain idea of ​​France, to those who share those human values, to these free citizens of all affiliation and who at one time decided in conscience Left to entrust the responsibility for their fate. We must turn to a new generation who is there, who gets up and goes - I hope with all my heart - know also the happiness of alternating happiness of change! I call you to this large gathering, this profound mobilization for Sunday at about the same time - yes, at about that time! - We know the face, the name of the next president of the Republic.

Then we will know if France resumes its march towards progress, towards justice, to equality of opportunity, to respect others. In Toulouse, I wanted both appeal and make you a promise. The call is to mobilize as if you yourselves were candidates in the presidential election. The promise, the promise of Toulouse, is that if the French give me their trust, I will be the president look like the candidate that I am: friendly candidate, unifying candidate, normal candidate for a normal presidency at the service of the Republic ! I want our victory is good or great. I want this to be a victory without rancor, without rancor, without revenge. A victory that lifts us. A victory that straightens us. A victory that strengthens us.

A win confidence, happiness, pride. I want a victory that allows to unite, to reconcile, to gather. I want that in three days - three days! - Where are gathered together here, I hope, on this square, because you will have learned the name of the next president of the Republic, I want you to say we won, yes, we won for progress, for justice for the youth, but we did better than that: we will win for the Republic, we will win for France, we will win for the beautiful idea that we have of humanity! We will win that even those who have not voted for May 6 we can say that ultimately it is we who bring hope. I stand here 31 years after François Mitterrand.

I want here, women and men who have experienced this moment can say they have not experienced that one time and that it was not an exception, the victory of François Mitterrand. It was announced that there would be other alternations, that walking would be pursued, the buckle is buckled and another after him and another after take responsibility of the country. I want those who did not experience May 10 can keep in their memory long May 6, 2012!

This is the generation contract that I propose. That those who experienced François Mitterrand, that those who have not known and who wear my application come together to allow the alternation to allow change, to enable France to advance and that each and everyone says he was in history, the history of the Left surely, to the history of the Republic certainly in the history of France voluntarily. That's what we have to do. Thank you all! Toulouse thank you! Long live the Republic !
