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| Nicolas Sarkozy storms back with tirade | Nicolas Sarkozy storms back with tirade |
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| France's former rightwing president Nicolas Sarkozy has made his first political speech since his election defeat last year, lashing out at the state of France in a move seen as a step towards running for president again in 2017. | France's former rightwing president Nicolas Sarkozy has made his first political speech since his election defeat last year, lashing out at the state of France in a move seen as a step towards running for president again in 2017. |
| Sarkozy delivered a behind-closed-doors address to a crisis meeting of his UMP party on Monday after a constitutional court rejected his 2012 presidential campaign spending, prompting financial penalties that have pushed the party into financial meltdown. | Sarkozy delivered a behind-closed-doors address to a crisis meeting of his UMP party on Monday after a constitutional court rejected his 2012 presidential campaign spending, prompting financial penalties that have pushed the party into financial meltdown. |
| Despite costing his party €11m (£9.5m) in withdrawn state subsidies, Sarkozy was welcomed by cheering supporters and delivered a speech styling himself as a saviour of the party. | Despite costing his party €11m (£9.5m) in withdrawn state subsidies, Sarkozy was welcomed by cheering supporters and delivered a speech styling himself as a saviour of the party. |
| "This is not my political return," he cautioned. "The day I return, it will be to speak to the French people about France." But the tone of his speech suggested the first stage of a comeback. After taking "full responsibility" for the debacle surrounding his campaign accounts, which were rejected due to overspending and improper accounting, Sarkozy delivered a grandstanding critique of France and, without naming him, the Socialist president, François Hollande. | "This is not my political return," he cautioned. "The day I return, it will be to speak to the French people about France." But the tone of his speech suggested the first stage of a comeback. After taking "full responsibility" for the debacle surrounding his campaign accounts, which were rejected due to overspending and improper accounting, Sarkozy delivered a grandstanding critique of France and, without naming him, the Socialist president, François Hollande. |
| He warned that the French were suffering. He said: "We talk of an economic, financial, political crisis. There's a crisis that worries me more: the crisis of ideas." He added that old "ideologies of the 20th century" could not be applied today, warning: "We're the only country that is afraid of progress." | He warned that the French were suffering. He said: "We talk of an economic, financial, political crisis. There's a crisis that worries me more: the crisis of ideas." He added that old "ideologies of the 20th century" could not be applied today, warning: "We're the only country that is afraid of progress." |
| Sarkozy, who once likened politics to a drug, warning that "you have to withdraw the needle slowly", had vowed to quit politics after his defeat last year. It remains to be seen how a comeback would sit within the fractured UMP party, badly bruised after its own bitter and contested leadership race. It faces a primary contest to choose the presidential candidate for 2017. Among others, Francois Fillon, Sarkozy's one-time prime minister and now internal rival, has vowed to run for the candidacy no matter who stands. | Sarkozy, who once likened politics to a drug, warning that "you have to withdraw the needle slowly", had vowed to quit politics after his defeat last year. It remains to be seen how a comeback would sit within the fractured UMP party, badly bruised after its own bitter and contested leadership race. It faces a primary contest to choose the presidential candidate for 2017. Among others, Francois Fillon, Sarkozy's one-time prime minister and now internal rival, has vowed to run for the candidacy no matter who stands. |
| A CSA poll this weekend showed 67% of UMP supporters wanted Sarkozy as their candidate in 2017. An Ifop poll found 59% of French people did not want Sarkozy to run in 2017, but 70% expect he will anyway. | A CSA poll this weekend showed 67% of UMP supporters wanted Sarkozy as their candidate in 2017. An Ifop poll found 59% of French people did not want Sarkozy to run in 2017, but 70% expect he will anyway. |
| Sarkozy is currently at the centre of a series of corruption investigations, including alleged illegal campaign funding from Gaddafi and the L'Oreal heiress Liliane Bettencourt. | Sarkozy is currently at the centre of a series of corruption investigations, including alleged illegal campaign funding from Gaddafi and the L'Oreal heiress Liliane Bettencourt. |
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