French left accuses Sarkozy of intimidating media

PARIS (Reuters) - France's opposition Socialists have accused the ruling UMP party of trying to intimidate the media in the latest of a series of debates on press freedom since President Nicolas Sarkozy took office a year ago.

Sarkozy last week accused five media, including the French news agency AFP, of showing bias against him by giving insufficient prominence to a court ruling that went against his former rival for the presidency, Socialist Segolene Royal.

Since the original comments by Sarkozy, other members of his party have criticised AFP and the row has intensified.

"This is a new smokescreen aimed at obscuring the government's errors and Sarkozy's record low popularity," said Socialist spokesman Faouzi Lamdaoui in a statement on Sunday.

"What the right is trying to do, through AFP, is to intimidate all journalists," the statement said.

Sarkozy has close personal friendships with the bosses of several major French media companies and some critics have long accused him of seeking to influence coverage, which he denies.

His accusations against the press came at a time when his popularity ratings have plunged to record lows, hit by economic troubles and a perceived excessive focus on his personal life. The press has widely reported and commented on the poll slump.

The media branches of two major unions, CFDT and CFTC, issued a statement saying they were worried Sarkozy was trying to use journalists as scapegoats for his low popularity.

But UMP spokesman Frederic Lefebvre insisted all the ruling party was asking for was a "neutral" press.