Quotes from Georges Pompidou

A statesman is a politician who places himself at the service of the nation. A politician is a statesman who places the nation at his service.

The rest of the world cannot be expected to regulate its life by a clock which is always slow.

My fate is to be President of the Republic - or leader of the opposition.

There are three roads to ruin women, gambling and technicians. The most pleasant is with women, the quickest is with gambling, but the surest is with technicians.

A statesman is a politician who places himself at the service of the nation. A politician is a statesman who places the nation at his service.

When I first arrived at the Matignon, my desire was to reconcile Parliament and De Gaulle. I had forgotten only two things. Parliament and De Gaulle.

There are three roads to ruin; women, gambling and technicians. The most pleasant is with women, the quickest is with gambling, but the surest is with technicians.

He imitated me so well that I couldn't stand myself any longer.

There are three ways to spoil a public man: women, gambling, and listening to experts. The first is the pleasantest, the second is the fastest, but the third is the most certain.

There are three way of courting ruin -- women, gambling, and calling in technicians.

The most dangerous thing about student riots is that adults take them seriously.