Testimony : France, Europe, and the world in the twenty-first century / Nicolas Sarkozy ; translated from the French by Philip H. Gordon.

"Updated, with a new preface by the author"--Jacket.

The newly elected president of France sets forth his personal vision of France's role in world affairs and his plans for modernizing the country and equipping it for the 21st century. With unusual candor, President Sarkozy describes the difficulties France has faced in recent years--high unemployment, social tensions, inadequate education, a government that has not been responsive or responsible when confronting economic and social problems. In international relations, he calls for a new approach to the way France positions itself in the world. He is a great admirer of the United States--an unorthodox position for a French leader--and his vision for Europe is ambitious. His iconoclastic views on Israel and the Arab world, Africa, globalization, immigration, and the environment promise a sharp break with the past. The ideas of France's new president are probably more daring, coherent, and compelling than those of any French leader in decades.--From publisher description.

Political beginnings -- A brush with defeat -- Becoming a minister -- Doing things differently -- Society and schools -- Rewarding merit and work -- Remaking French politics -- Our complex society -- A clean break -- Fixing the French economy -- Rethinking foreign policy -- Conclusion: a new France.