Bayrou says French rivals obsessed with nationalism

Centrist Francois Bayrou yesterday accused his French presidential rivals of harbouring "nationalist obsessions" in an election campaign focusing on immigration, national identity and patriotism.

Bayrou, growing in popularity in recent opinion polls, said people's feeling for their nation should be one of affection not obsession and insisted he needed no lectures from his rivals on how to show respect for his country.

"I don't want to receive orders from the president on the way of honouring the nation, on how to speak about it to my children, on what day to put up my flag in the window," Bayrou told reporters on a visit to the Indian Ocean island of La Reunion, which as French territory also votes in the election.

Socialist candidate Segolene Royal this week ended her campaign meetings with the Marseillaise national anthem and said all French people should have the red, white and blue French flag at home and should wave it on public holidays.

Her comments raised some eyebrows as did a proposal by conservative candidate Nicolas Sarkozy for a ministry for immigration and national identity which some analysts viewed as a pitch for far-right voters.