President François Hollande praised the French people's response to recent terrorist attacks and touched on controversial plans to strip dual nationals of French citizenship in terror cases as he delivered his traditional New Year address, reports FRANCE 24.
In a televised speech from the Elysée Palace on Thursday, Hollande said he was "proud" of the "solidarity and composure" displayed by his fellow citizens throughout a gruelling year marked by deadly terrorist attacks.
"France is not done with terrorism", the French president warned, noting that the terror threat "remains at its highest level".
Even as he spoke, more than 100,000 police officers were on duty across the country for the New Year's Eve celebrations, including 11,000 in Paris alone.
Hollande's address came six weeks after jihadist gunmen and suicide bombers killed 130 people in coordinated assaults on Paris nightspots, in the country's worst ever terrorist attacks.
The president paid homage to the victims of the November 13 attacks and of January's deadly rampages in a kosher supermarket and the offices of satirical weekly Charlie Hebdo.
"These tragic events will remain for ever etched in our memories, they shall never disappear," he said. "But despite the tragedy, France has not given in. Despite the tears, the country has remained upright."