France’s new President Nicolas Sarkozy has taken office at a ceremony in the Elysee Palace, after waving goodbye to President Jacques Chirac. The new center-right president succeeded his former mentor after defeating the Socialists’ Segolene Royal in the 6 May run-off election.
In his inaugural address, Mr Sarkozy said “now change is needed” in France and he called for national unity. France “needs to take risks and follow initiatives,” he said.The country also needed to “rehabilitate the values of work, effort, merit and respect” and defeat intolerance, he said.
A 21-gun salute marked his assumption of the presidency, after a brief private conversation with Mr Chirac.
One of Mr Chirac’s last tasks was to hand over the launch codes of France’s nuclear arsenal.
Mr Sarkozy, 52, was accompanied at the ceremony by his wife Cecilia, wearing an eye-catching golden dress, and other family members – their son Louis and four children from their previous marriages, BBC reports.
