A series of events have taken place in Paris to celebrate the inauguration of Nicolas Sarkozy as French President.
Mr Sarkozy succeeds Jacques Chirac, who had been in power for 12 years.
Mr Chirac's last act as president was to hand over the launch codes for France's nuclear missiles to his successor.
President Sarkozy did not wait for the 21-gun salute to finish before launching into his inaugural speech.
In it he said the need for reform in France had never been greater and that now was a time for taking risks and following initiative.
He promised to rehabilitate the values of work, effort, merit and respect. He also condemned racism and called for unity and tolerance.
He said the defence of human rights and combating global warming would be foreign policy priorities.
Declaring that France was back at the heart of Europe, he warned that it must be a Europe that protects its citizens and their jobs.
He will name his cabinet tomorrow, and is expected to select former minister for labour François Fillon as prime minister.
He makes his first foreign trip as President today when he travels to Berlin to meet the German Chancellor, Angela Merkel.
Mr Sarkozy defeated the Socialist candidate Ségolène Royale in an election run-off earlier this month.
The right-wing politician is promising to direct his reformist drive from the front in a style starkly different from his predecessor.
He is also the first French leader to be born after the end of World War II.
The formal transfer of power took place this morning during a short meeting at the Elysée Palace in Paris.
Unlike in the US there is no swearing-in ceremony, and presidential authority is simply passed on from incumbent to successor.
Yesterday evening, the outgoing leader bid an emotional farewell to the nation, urging the people to remain 'united and together' under Mr Sarkozy.
