Paris attacks: France is at war and will intensify attacks in Syria with the EU, US and Russia, French President Francois Hollande tells parliament
French President Francois Hollande has told the country's parliament that France "is at war", as he laid out his intentions to coordinate with the EU, US and Russia to raise their assault on the Islamic State (Daesh).
In one of the most important speeches of his career he said "the need destroy Daesh concerns the whole international community" and that "France will intensify its operations in Syria". In total, the 132 victims came from 19 different nations, he said.
The French President also wants to hire 5,000 more police and gendarmes over the next two years, arguing that the "security pact wins over the stablility pact". The stability pact is the set of EU rules that governs the budgets of member states.
"They fight us because we're the homeland of human rights," he said. "This is not a war of civilisations, because those terrorists don't represent any civilisation."
"Friday's acts of wars have been planned in Syria and organised in Belgium."
"We will continue our strikes on Syria in the coming weeks….Terrorists must know their act has reinforced, not undermined, our determination to destroy them."
Hollande: I will meet Presidents Obama and Putin in the coming days to join our forces and achieve a result. #ParisAttacks
— Open Europe (@OpenEurope) November 16, 2015
He is set to meet US President Barack Obama and Russian President Vladimir President to coordinate a response to Friday's attacks in Paris and plans to invoke EU treaties to bring in other European countries.
"I will meet Presidents Obama and Putin in the coming days to join our forces and achieve a result," he said.
"Syria has become the biggest producer of terrorists the world has ever known."
Hollande also issued a stark warning on controlling the EU's borders:
If Europe doesn't control its external borders, then internal borders will return. That will be the destruction of the EU.
Hollande: If Europe doesn't control its external borders, then internal borders will return. That will be the destruction of the EU.
— Open Europe (@OpenEurope) November 16, 2015
Hollande also wants to extend the country's state of emergency for a further three months. He went on to outline constitutional steps France could take to resolve terrorist threats, including more powers to expel foreigners who represent a threat to the public more quickly.