Rise of Trump is 'scary', says France's Sarkozy

Former French president says US Republican frontrunner does not deserve as much attention as he gets


Afp March 24, 2016
PHOTO: AFP

LONDON: Donald Trump is "scary" and his popularity in the United States is worrying, former French President Nicolas Sarkozy said Wednesday.

"This man does not deserve as much attention as he gets. What is so scary is the impact he has," the leader of France's Republicans party said at an event in London.

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"It makes me shudder. It makes me shudder about the state of a part of the American heartland," said Sarkozy, who led France between 2007 and 2012.

He criticised the "populism" and "vulgarity" of Trump's campaign, which has been marked by controversial statements about Muslims, as the real estate mogul closes in on his Republican Party's nomination for presidential candidate.

Sarkozy's time as president marked a warming of ties between Paris and Washington, after several years of chill under his predecessor.

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After a short period out of the limelight, the 61-year-old has his eyes on another run for the presidency in 2017, but faces corruption charges relating to influence peddling.

COMMENTS (2)

Sexton Blake | 8 years ago | Reply Dear Mr Sarkozy, You and a couple of other disreputable people bombed Libya into rubble. Now that was scary.
Bunny Rabbit | 8 years ago | Reply DT is better than Nicholas's friend George Bush ( junior)
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