French centrist Francois Bayrou rejected overtures from presidential rivals Nicolas Sarkozy and Ségolène Royal today, lambasting both candidates and refusing to advise supporters who to back in the May 6th second-round election.
Mr Bayrou, who took 7 million votes in the first round on Sunday to finish third ahead of far-right leader Jean-Marie Le Pen, had been assiduously courted by both camps eager to win the backing of the "third man" of French politics.
But he had stinging words for both candidates, saying that right-wing former interior minister Mr Sarkozy risked exacerbating social tensions in France while Ms Royal would worsen France's serious economic problems.
"I have worries about both of them," he told a news conference. "And I am convinced that many French people have the same worries as I do."
Mr Bayrou, who aims to create a new centre bloc in France , said Mr Sarkozy, who took 31.2 per cent of the vote on Sunday and Ms Royal, who took 25.9 per cent, had both called him since Sunday's election but he had not spoken to either of them.
He announced plans for a new centrist party, with the provisional name of the Democratic Party, which would contest the parliamentary elections in June and said he was ready for a public debate with both Mr Sarkozy and Ms Royal.
Mr Bayrou accepted the Socialist candidate's proposal of a debate to examine areas that the two could agree on, but when she later suggested that it be held before regional media, he told France 2 television the debate had to be televised.
Mr Bayrou told reporters he would accept a similar invitation from Sarkozy if Sarkozy made one, but the right-wing candidate ruled that out in an interview with TF1 television, though he said he was prepared to hold talks with Bayrou.
Mr Bayrou had been expected to withhold endorsement for the two candidates at his news conference but he made no attempt to conceal his opinion of the two, opening fire on both candidates.
"I believe Nicolas Sarkozy will worsen the problem of democracy and social fracture," he said. "Segolene Royal, through her programme will worsen durably the economic problems and both will unbalance the deficit and debt," he said.
A TNS Sofres poll showed 46 per cent of Bayrou voters planned to vote for Ms Royal, with just 25 per cent for Mr Sarkozy. It also suggested Mr Sarkozy's second round lead over Royal had narrowed to 51 per cent, with Royal drawing 49 per cent.