France - Nicholas Sarkozy to quit politics if not re-elected

Published on Mar 8, 2012 by Euronews

http://www.euronews.com/ Nicholas Sarkozy said he will give up politics if he's not re-elected as he struggles to regain lost ground in France's Presidential campaign.

Sarkozy, who's been in government since the 1980s when he was a district mayor in Paris, is lagging behind Socialist challenger François Hollande in opinion polls.

"I'm telling the French people that I'm going to fight hard to gain your trust, to protect you, to lead you, to build a Strong France. But if you decide otherwise, I'll bow out after having a really nice life in politics," Sarkozy told Paris-based RMC radio.

April's Presidential election is expected to go to a second round run-off in early May.

Main rival François Hollande was once described as the invisible man of French politics and Sarkozy's hit out at his lack of ministerial experience.