PARIS - On his last day in office, President Jacques Chirac on Tuesday urged the French to remain "united and together" after he hands over power to Nicolas Sarkozy.
"Always stay united and together .... United, we have all the advantages, all the strength, all the talent that we need to leave our mark in this new world that is unfolding before us," he said in a televised address.
"This evening I want to tell you what a great honour it has been to serve you. I want to tell you how strong is the bond that from depths of my heart unites me with every man and woman among you," he said.
"I want to say how great is my faith in you, and how great is my faith in France.
"I know that the new president Nicolas Sarkozy will be eager to lead our country further down the road of the future, and my best wishes go with him on this most demanding and beautiful of missions," he said.
Chirac leaves the presidency on Wednesday after 12 years in office.