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| François Hollande Vows to Defend France's Republican Ideals | |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| PARIS — President François Hollande of France on Thursday sought to reassure a nation still shaken by the recent terrorist attacks in and around Paris, saying that the country would not be cowed by terrorists and would defend its republican ideals of liberty and free expression against those who sought to undermine them. | PARIS — President François Hollande of France on Thursday sought to reassure a nation still shaken by the recent terrorist attacks in and around Paris, saying that the country would not be cowed by terrorists and would defend its republican ideals of liberty and free expression against those who sought to undermine them. |
| Speaking at a news conference amid the gilded splendor of the Élysée Palace, Mr. Hollande said that France would fight Islamic radicalism, train imams and reinforce French education in schools to help foster a sense of civic identity among all French people. He also pledged to ensure the security of the country’s mosques. | |
| Mr. Hollande said legislation aimed at updating the legal framework for intelligence and surveillance operations would be introduced in Parliament in March. | Mr. Hollande said legislation aimed at updating the legal framework for intelligence and surveillance operations would be introduced in Parliament in March. |
| “France was attacked in what it holds most sacred: freedom of expression, the Republic and human equality,” he said. “France reacted with dignity and pride. When the terrorists wanted to put it on its knees, it stood its ground. When the fanatics wanted to spread fear, it came together. When the extremists wanted to divide it, it stood as one.” | “France was attacked in what it holds most sacred: freedom of expression, the Republic and human equality,” he said. “France reacted with dignity and pride. When the terrorists wanted to put it on its knees, it stood its ground. When the fanatics wanted to spread fear, it came together. When the extremists wanted to divide it, it stood as one.” |
| Mr. Hollande said the French notion of a secular state was “nonnegotiable,” adding that “secularism is a guarantee for France” against internal and external threats and influences. | |
| Mr. Hollande also announced that he would travel to Kiev on Thursday with Chancellor Angela Merkel of Germany to seek a joint solution to the conflict in Ukraine, one that he said would be based on Ukraine’s territorial integrity. He said he would discuss the crisis with President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia on Friday. | Mr. Hollande also announced that he would travel to Kiev on Thursday with Chancellor Angela Merkel of Germany to seek a joint solution to the conflict in Ukraine, one that he said would be based on Ukraine’s territorial integrity. He said he would discuss the crisis with President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia on Friday. |
| Mr. Hollande has been one of the most unpopular presidents in French history, but what is seen as his empathetic and decisive handling of the attacks has boosted his standing with voters, at least temporarily. Public opinion polls in France show his approval ratings rising sharply after the attacks. | Mr. Hollande has been one of the most unpopular presidents in French history, but what is seen as his empathetic and decisive handling of the attacks has boosted his standing with voters, at least temporarily. Public opinion polls in France show his approval ratings rising sharply after the attacks. |
| Nevertheless, Mr. Hollande faces huge challenges ahead of presidential elections in 2017, including a stagnant economy, high unemployment and growing alarm about the threat of homegrown Islamic extremism, as well as a perceived rise in anti-Semitic violence. | Nevertheless, Mr. Hollande faces huge challenges ahead of presidential elections in 2017, including a stagnant economy, high unemployment and growing alarm about the threat of homegrown Islamic extremism, as well as a perceived rise in anti-Semitic violence. |
| At the same time, the state security apparatus is facing questions about its failure to prevent the attacks, made all the more vivid by the stabbing on Tuesday of three soldiers guarding a Jewish community center in Nice by a man whom counterterrorism police had interrogated only days before. | At the same time, the state security apparatus is facing questions about its failure to prevent the attacks, made all the more vivid by the stabbing on Tuesday of three soldiers guarding a Jewish community center in Nice by a man whom counterterrorism police had interrogated only days before. |
| Turning to Greece, where a leftist anti-austerity party recently won elections on a pledge to ease the country’s debt burden, Mr. Hollande affirmed his view that any agreement between Greece and its European creditors must not breach the European Union’s rules and must respect Greece’s previous commitments. French officials met with the new Greek finance minister on Sunday. | Turning to Greece, where a leftist anti-austerity party recently won elections on a pledge to ease the country’s debt burden, Mr. Hollande affirmed his view that any agreement between Greece and its European creditors must not breach the European Union’s rules and must respect Greece’s previous commitments. French officials met with the new Greek finance minister on Sunday. |
| “The role of France is to find a solution, to help find an agreement which respects the vote of the Greek people, but which also respects European rules and commitments,” Mr. Hollande said. He noted that no European Union country, France included, had asked the Greeks to leave the eurozone. | “The role of France is to find a solution, to help find an agreement which respects the vote of the Greek people, but which also respects European rules and commitments,” Mr. Hollande said. He noted that no European Union country, France included, had asked the Greeks to leave the eurozone. |
| France is still struggling to come to terms with last month’s terrorist attacks, in which gunmen laid siege to a satirical newspaper and a kosher supermarket, killing 17 people and convulsing the country. | |
| The government has announced plans to spend an additional 425 million euros, or more than $490 million, to create over 2,500 jobs to improve counterterrorism operations and to help monitor nearly 3,000 people the police consider surveillance targets. The government has also been expanding its efforts to combat Jihadist indoctrination on the web, and has been seeking to root out Jihadist networks with a series of recent arrests. | The government has announced plans to spend an additional 425 million euros, or more than $490 million, to create over 2,500 jobs to improve counterterrorism operations and to help monitor nearly 3,000 people the police consider surveillance targets. The government has also been expanding its efforts to combat Jihadist indoctrination on the web, and has been seeking to root out Jihadist networks with a series of recent arrests. |
| At the same time, the state security apparatus is facing questions about its inability to prevent the attacks, made all the more vivid by the stabbing on Tuesday of three soldiers guarding a Jewish community center in Nice by a man who had been interrogated by counterterrorism police only days before. | At the same time, the state security apparatus is facing questions about its inability to prevent the attacks, made all the more vivid by the stabbing on Tuesday of three soldiers guarding a Jewish community center in Nice by a man who had been interrogated by counterterrorism police only days before. |
| The developments also come at a time of deep turbulence in French politics, with both the right and left suffering from internal divisions and the far-right National Front gaining strength, as its anti-immigrant message resonates with renewed vigor following the attacks. | The developments also come at a time of deep turbulence in French politics, with both the right and left suffering from internal divisions and the far-right National Front gaining strength, as its anti-immigrant message resonates with renewed vigor following the attacks. |
| In addition to being encumbered by a stagnant economy, Mr. Hollande’s Socialist government is facing a simmering rebellion by leftist members opposed to its plans for fostering growth and employment. When the government announced modest economic changes in December, including allowing more retail stores to open on Sundays, leading members of his own party denounced the proposals as threatening France’s cherished social protections. | |
| Mr. Hollande said the terrorist attacks had altered him. Alluding to the rise in his popularity, he said that he would not be hostage to polls. “I have inevitably changed after these events,” he said. “It transforms you, necessarily, because this ordeal has also changed our country.” | Mr. Hollande said the terrorist attacks had altered him. Alluding to the rise in his popularity, he said that he would not be hostage to polls. “I have inevitably changed after these events,” he said. “It transforms you, necessarily, because this ordeal has also changed our country.” |