France’s Royal warns of violence if Sarkozy wins
By Kerstin Gehmlich
PARIS (Reuters)
France risks violence and brutality if right-winger Nicolas Sarkozy wins Sunday’s presidential election, Socialist opponent Segolene Royal said on Friday.
On the last day of official campaigning, opinion polls showed Sarkozy enjoyed a commanding lead over Royal, who accused the former interior minister of lying and polarizing France.
“Choosing Nicolas Sarkozy would be a dangerous choice,” Royal told RTL radio.
“It is my responsibility today to alert people to the risk of (his) candidature with regards to the violence and brutality that would be unleashed in the country (if he won),” she said.
Pressed on whether there would be actual violence, Royal said: “I think so, I think so,” referring specifically to France’s volatile suburbs hit by widespread rioting in 2005.
Royal went on the offensive during a fiery television debate between the two on Wednesday night when Sarkozy, portrayed as ruthlessly ambitious by his opponents, questioned whether she was cool enough to become France’s first woman president.
Sarkozy’s performance buttressed his lead in the polls and a TNS Sofres poll published on Friday showed him at 54.5 percent, compared to 45.5 percent for the Socialist. An IPSOS poll put him on 54 percent against 46 percent for Royal.
A senior Royal aide conceded the situation was serious.
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