French right rift threatens Sarkozy bid - deputies

PARIS, Jan 10 (Reuters) France's ruling UMP will lose elections in April unless it ends a bitter feud damaging the centre-right party's presidential hopeful Nicolas Sarkozy, lawmakers say.

At a stormy meeting today, UMP deputies savaged Prime Minister Dominique de Villepin and the speaker of parliament for refusing to back Sarkozy ahead of a congress on Sunday where he will officially be anointed as the party candidate.

Two party stalwarts today urged an end to weeks of in-fighting as Sarkozy allies fretted that President Jacques Chirac and Villepin were determined to wrest back control of the UMP -- even if it meant losing the presidency.

''It's enough to drive you to despair,'' former conservative Prime Minister Edouard Balladur told RTL radio of the constant squabbling. ''I want everyone to get a grip on themselves and stop this ridiculous spectacle.

''For once, let's imitate the Socialists ... They have designated a candidate. They don't adore each other but they are playing by the rules,'' he said.

Rivals of Socialist contender Segolene Royal who, polls suggest, will probably face Sarkozy in a May run-off ballot, have muzzled their attacks on her since losing the party primary in November.

''All this tension is quite counter-productive for our political family,'' said Alain Juppe, a former prime minister and Chirac ally who has rallied to Sarkozy.

He told Europe 1 radio the rival factions should sit down and work through their differences: ''We really have to put an end to this spectacle, which is damaging us.'' The daily Le Figaro, headlining its report ''UMP deputies let rip at Villepin'', said furious Sarkozy supporters had shouted ''enough's enough'', ''cut the cliches'' and ''get elected'' at Villepin, who has never stood for election.

Many lawmakers have never forgiven Villepin for persuading Chirac -- who is not expected to seek a third term -- to call snap polls ten years ago that the left won.

D-DAY Le Figaro said Sarkozy had told deputies that Sunday's rally would mark ''the first day of conquest or the first day of defeat.'' Today Sarkozy played down the rift with Villepin. ''I don't question Dominique de Villepin's goodwill,'' he told reporters while casting his ballot for presidential candidate at party headquarters.

''He has his view on strategy, I respect that and I have told him that we must all work together.'' Villepin and other critics on the UMP's traditional Gaullist wing say Sarkozy is a divisive figure whose hardline views on crime, immigration, labour and welfare reform alienate the moderate voters he needs to win.

The feuding could drive some UMP voters into the arms of far-right National Front leader Jean-Marie Le Pen, who stunned France in 2002 elections by making it to the run-off ballot.

''The French right has a mania for division, quarrelling and discord,'' commentator Alain Duhamel said on RTL radio. ''And that despite the fact that the National Front is strong today, which is a second handicap for the government.'' REUTERS BDP RN2354