Villepin has frank talk with Sarkozy
The former prime minister has criticised the president’s policies with regard to Islam and the Middle East
FORMER prime minister Dominique de Villepin criticised President Sarkozy’s attitudes towards Islam and the Middle East in a “frank” discussion.
Mr Villepin, who intends to stand against Mr Sarkozy in next year’s presidential elections, was invited to the Elysée to discuss France’s presidency of the G8 and G20.
Theoretically the pair were scheduled to have a 45-minute talk about the price of raw materials and financial regulation However the meeting lasted twice as long.
Mr Villepin said afterwards he told Mr Sarkozy he was being too “prudent” and should be “taking the initiative” more internationally, notably with regard to the revolts taking place against hardline regimes in the Middle East.
“My conviction is that our historic role, our responsibility, is to be in the forefront, hailing this movement of the people, this historic event which is at the same time non-violent and carried out in the name of freedom,” he said.
He added he also warned the president against “looking for scapegoats” in the context of the national debate on Islam and France’s secular values, planned for April.
He did so in “the general interest of the French people”, not out of a “spirit of personal opposition”, he said.
Mr Villepin, who now heads a centre-right party République Solidaire, recently left Mr Sarkozy’s UMP.
He is the third former PM to have been invited for talks with the president in connection with the G8/G20 presidency.
Photo: Service photo de Matignon
