Sarkozy accused of devious tactics
Nicolas Sarkozy, the former French president, is facing incendiary claims that he deliberately exacerbated racial tensions and facilitated a riot to further his political career.
Patrick Buisson, a historian who was Sarkozy’s key adviser until the two men fell out in 2014, said yesterday that the Centreright leader wanted to instil the idea that ‘‘hordes of savages had entered Paris’’ to undermine his own prime minister while serving as interior minister 10 years ago.
He was elected president the following year, and is now battling to return to the Elysee Palace.
Buisson portrays his former boss as a scheming, unprincipled but fundamentally weak leader under the influence of Carla Brunisarkozy, his wife.
The accusations come weeks before Sarkozy stands in a poll for the opposition Republicans to choose a candidate for next year’s presidential election. They reinforce his image as a divisive figure who risks widening the gulf that separates mainstream France from its ethnic minorities.
Sarkozy’s aides fear the latest scandal could encourage middle-ofthe-road voters to turn to rival Alain Juppe, 71, a far more consensual figure.
Buisson, 67, says he recorded hours of conversations during Sarkozy’s presidency between 2007 and 2012, which form the basis for his book, La Cause du Peuple.
He portrays Bruni-sarkozy, 48, as being obsessed by money and complaining that her husband’s political career prevented her from obtaining lucrative advertising contracts. Buisson says she wielded ‘‘considerable political’’ influence over Sarkozy because he let his private life interfere with the presidency.
The most damaging part of the book concerns Sarkozy’s spell as interior minister in 2006, when he was vying for leadership of the Centre-right with Dominique de Villepin, the prime minister at the time, who was facing protests over a planned law labour reform.
Sarkozy ordered police to delay intervention during clashes in central Paris between ethnic minority rioters from the suburbs and white protesters, according to Buisson. He allegedly wanted voters to get the impression that the protest movement against de Villepin was out of control amid heightening racial tensions.
Buisson says Sarkozy told police to let the rioters pillage shops, saying: ‘‘We will let them go shopping at [electrical goods chain] Darty and [sportswear chain] Go Sport.’’
Buisson writes: ‘‘After the publication of photos in the press, public opinion only retained one thing: hordes of savages had entered Paris.’’
He says Sarkozy then ordered police to restore order ‘‘to show . . . how much he was in control . . . whilst the prime minister was embroiled in a deadly confrontation with young people’’.
Sarkozy refused to comment on the claims.