French President Nicolas Sarkozy said on Wednesday he was the man to defend a "strong France" as he announced his re-election bid with 10 weeks to the vote and his Socialist rival leading in opinion polls.

"/> French President Nicolas Sarkozy said on Wednesday he was the man to defend a "strong France" as he announced his re-election bid with 10 weeks to the vote and his Socialist rival leading in opinion polls.

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NICOLAS SARKOZY

Sarkozy launches his re-election bid

French President Nicolas Sarkozy said on Wednesday he was the man to defend a "strong France" as he announced his re-election bid with 10 weeks to the vote and his Socialist rival leading in opinion polls.

Sarkozy launches his re-election bid
Screenshot TF1

Portraying himself as a tough realist as France faces a crisis “unknown since World War II” and dismissing frontrunner François Hollande as a dreamer, Sarkozy said he felt it was his duty to seek a new five-year term.

“Yes, I am a candidate in the presidential election,” Sarkozy said in an interview on France’s TF1 television.

“I took this decision because France, Europe and the world have for the last three years seen a series of unprecedented crises, which means that not seeking a new mandate from the French people would be abandoning my duties.”

Sarkozy presented himself as “the captain of a boat in the heart of a storm” and promised: “The French people must understand that if France is strong, they will be protected. France is a shield for each of us.”

Sarkozy slammed Hollande’s left-wing campaign programme, which promises significant state spending and the creation of thousands of teaching jobs.

“Do you really believe that in the current economic climate, we can tell the French people that we do not need to make savings?” he said.

“In my long political career I have seen many people promise a dream. Those dreams always turned into nightmares,” he said, directly attacking Hollande’s pledge to revive “the French dream”.

Hollande had pre-empted Sarkozy’s declaration by staging a massive campaign rally in his hometown in Rouen, televised live just minutes before the president’s interview. He lashed out at Sarkozy’s record.

“The script has been written: the incumbent candidate will promise new things. He will try to turn his weaknesses into strengths. He has been wrong for five years and now he calls that experience,” Hollande said.

“He’ll pretend that a diet of austerity is a 21st century solution, that we must forget his record, that the crisis has passed, everything is forgotten, that only the future counts,” Hollande said.

Sarkozy, 57, has been operating on a de facto campaign schedule of television appearances and twice-weekly regional tours for months now, but had yet to officially confirm his candidacy.

Opinion polls consistently forecast that Sarkozy will be beaten by Hollande in a run-off on May 6th, but the president’s camp is clinging to hope that he can rekindle the energy that brought him to office in 2007.

Sarkozy’s programme combines the most modern tactics — he launched a Twitter account on Wednesday — with the most traditional — he was due to visit a provincial cheese factory in the Alps on Thursday.

After the trip to the Annecy cheese plant, he will hold a large set-piece rally in the southern port city of Marseille on Sunday.

The French left has not won a presidential election since 1988, but former Socialist Party leader Hollande, 57, has a comfortable lead in the surveys of likely voters.

The latest poll published on Wednesday by Harris Interactive for the news magazine VSD forecast that Hollande would win the first round with 28  ercent to Sarkozy’s 24 percent then sweep the run-off with 57 percent to 43.

In this poll the only other candidate within striking distance of the second round would be far-right National Front leader Marine Le Pen on 20 percent, but most observers now see the campaign as a two-horse race.

Brandishing a red card like a football referee expelling a player, Le Pen urged her supporters to teach Sarkozy a lesson at the polls.

“There have been too many betrayals, too many lies, too much manipulation, Nicolas Sarkozy must leave the pitch and give way for a bold, enthusiastic, courageous and clear-headed team, mine!” Le Pen said.

Sarkozy began his time in office vowing to liberalise the economy, reduce unemployment and increase voters’ spending power, but has instead seen France fall prey to the eurozone debt crisis.

He did have some good news on Wednesday: economic growth in the final quarter of last year was confirmed as having been slightly higher than first thought, and thus France is not officially in recession.

But in an interview last week, Sarkozy focused on a conservative social platform rather than on the economy, with plans to ban gay marriage and adoption, limit immigration and restrict unemployment benefits.

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BAN

Frankfurt party organizers face hefty fine for flouting Easter dancing ban

It is one of Germany's more surprising laws that has led to protests throughout the years.

Frankfurt party organizers face hefty fine for flouting Easter dancing ban
There are restrictions on dancing in Germany during Easter. Photo: Depositphotos/pitangacherry

With restrictions varying across the country's 16 states, the dancing ban, or 'Tanzverbot', effectively bars public dancing on the Christian holiday. In some states, including Hesse, the ban lasts for more than one day.

Now authorities in Frankfurt, the biggest city in Hesse, have vowed to crack down on anyone who ignores the ban that’s in place from Thursday to Saturday, reported regional newspaper the Frankfurter Rundschau (FR).

According to the law in Hesse, a fine of up to €1000 can be handed out to anyone who puts on a public dance event, the spokesman for the Ordnungsamt, Ralph Rohr, told the FR.

One of the city’s mayors, Uwe Becker, of the centre-right Christian Democrats (CDU), has called for residents to show respect for those who observe the religious Easter holiday, and not take part in any dancing.

“Even those who do not belong to a religion themselves should show respect for the feelings of others,” said the CDU politician who is head of the church department in Frankfurt.

The law in Hesse states that dancing in public is forbidden from 4am on Maundy Thursday until midnight on Holy Saturday, as well as on Sundays and public holidays from 4am until 12 noon.

According to Rohr, city police will conduct their usual checks during this time.

“If complaints are received, police will investigate them,” said the Ordnungsamt spokesman.

In response to the FR's question as to whether dancing would be stopped, Rohr said: “We will end what is not allowed.” Clubs will be contacted by authorities and warned in advance.

SEE ALSO: 10 ways to celebrate Easter in Germany like a local

Ban is contentious

As well as dancing, other activities are banned at Easter time, such as sporting events and gambling. The ban on dancing has led to protests across Germany throughout the years.

Centre-left Social Democrats politician Kevin Kühnert recently said the ban should be abolished. He said people should be able to decide for themselves whether they want to celebrate or not.  He told the Redaktionsnetzwerk that “anyone who wants to go to a disco that day should be able to do so.”

A protester at a demo in Stuttgart in 2015 holds placards that read: 'We dance when we want!' and 'Release the dance!' Photo: DPA

Not surprisingly, club capital Berlin is the most liberal state when it comes to upholding the silent public holiday, with the 'Tanzverbot' only in place from 4am to 9pm on Good Friday.

In the southern state of Bavaria, which is largely Catholic, the ban runs for 70 hours: from 2 am on Maundy Thursday until midnight on Holy Saturday. Penalties vary, but people who flout the law, which tends to be event organizers or club owners, risk fines of up to €1,500.

'Important gesture'

Meanwhile, in Frankfurt, Becker urged all citizens to comply with the legal regulation on Good Friday.

For many Christians it is deemed inappropriate to dance or celebrate during Holy Week – the seven days leading up to Easter Sunday. Good Friday, when Christians commemorate the crucifixion of Jesus, is of particular importance. For Catholics, the day is traditionally meant for fasting and abstinence.

Becker said that not taking part in “loud and exuberant celebrations” is “an important gesture” that shows respect to “fellow human beings”.

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