France

Déjà vu: Sarkozy recycles same old speech

Article published on the 2009-10-29 Latest update 2009-10-30 06:21 TU

Nicolas Sarkozy shares a joke with Czech Prime Minister Jan Fischer in Brussels on 29 October, 2009. The French President is unlikely to find the latest lampooning of him by Canal Plus quite as amusing
(Photo: Reuters)

Farmers were left with a distinct feeling of déjà vu on Tuesday when French President Nicolas Sarkozy repeated large extracts of an eight month old speech at an address in Poligny.

After beginning by telling his audience that he had “not come to give you a speech you have already heard”, Sarkozy proceeded to do exactly that.

That’s because many parts of his address were identical to a talk he gave in Daumeray in February. The gaffe was highlighted on the Petit Journal programme on French TV station Canal Plus.

Presenter Yann Barthès cleverly underlined the similarities by playing both interviews at the same time, which showed that some sections of the speech Sarkozy delivered on Tuesday were copied word for word from his February address.

Sarkozy was in Poligny to announce a 650 million euro aid plan for France’s struggling farmers as well as a billion euro in loans.