France's Sarkozy attacks "hooligan" shareholders

CHARLEVILLE-MEZIERES, France, Dec 18 (Reuters) The leading rightwing candidate in the French presidential race attacked what he called ''hooligan'' shareholders today and urged tough action against firms relocating to lower cost countries.

''There are some forms of economic behaviour that I can't accept,'' Interior Minister Nicolas Sarkozy said on a visit to the Ardennes in northwestern France, a region that has been heavily hit by unemployment and plant closures.

''Our country has to get organised to stop the actions of shareholders who ... aren't entrepreneurs but who (behave like) hooligans,'' he said.

Sarkozy, who is favoured to win the nomination of the ruling rightwing UMP party, has been attacked as an extreme economic liberal by leftist rivals but his comments add to anti-market rhetoric from across the spectrum ahead of elections in April.

The minister, who is neck-and-neck with Socialist candidate Segolene Royal in the opinion polls, has been vying with his rival to attack the European Central Bank's record on fostering growth and employment.

Royal has also repeatedly criticised firms that shift their plants out of France and into countries with lower labour costs, threatening to impose stiff penalties on profitable companies that move their production abroad.

Comments from politicians on factory transfers reflect longstanding concern in France over the effects of globalisation and free market policies on employment and social welfare.

Sarkozy cited today the example of Thome-Genot, an automotive parts supplier where 300 workers had lost their jobs.

He said a judicial investigation has begun into accusations of financial impropriety by the firm's main shareholder, investment fund Catalina, and pledged the full support of his ministry to the investigation.

''Believe me, I'm not prepared to allow behaviour of this type,'' he said. ''I believe too strongly in my ideas to accept that hooligans can come and betray them. We've got nothing to do with people like that.'' Sarkozy was embarrassed last week when one of his most prominent show business supporters, veteran rocker Johnny Hallyday, revealed he would be moving to Switzerland to escape high French taxes.

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