Eric Cantona gives French presidential race a kick with plan to join melee

HIS popularity remains undiminished, at least among fans of his former club, Manchester United. But it came as a shock when the French press reported Eric Cantona, the legendary striker turned actor, was to run for the presidency this year.

Daily newspaper Libération released a letter on its website late on Monday suggesting the man once styled King Eric was to run against right-wing incumbent Nicolas Sarkozy and socialist challenger François Hollande. It was an appeal to mayors around France for 500 signatures of support “in the framework of the political debate that the country is involved in”.

France holds presidential elections in April and May, and to get on the ballot, candidates must first gather the signatures of 500 mayors.

For hours, French airwaves filled with debate over a potential candidacy for the volatile and enigmatic 45-year-old.

Then yesterday, Libération published an interview in which he explained that what he wants is for the real presidential candidates to support the Fondation Abbe Pierre, which works to house the poor. Its director said Cantona’s “campaign” was aimed at capturing attention.

“We told ourselves we needed an extra kick” for a petition urging presidential candidates to make housing a campaign priority, said Patrick Doutreligne. The petition calls on the next president to regulate rent and property prices, build more public housing and other measures.

Mr Doutreligne said the foundation asked Cantona, who played himself in Ken Loach’s 2009 film Looking for Eric, to pretend to be a presidential candidate for a limited time, and then to announce he was seeking support for better housing.

“He will not be a candidate,” Mr Doutreligne said.

In yesterday’s Libération interview, Cantona criticised mayors for preferring to pay fines than build necessary public housing and called for a return to “humanism”.

“A hospital doesn’t have to be profitable. We don’t live inside a company,” he said.

Ministers from Mr Sarkozy’s government were quick to pick up on an issue that has not featured much in the debate so far, with just over 100 days to the opening vote, on 22 April, in a two-round presidential election.

“Eric Cantona is highlighting a real issue,” said Nathalie Kosciuski-Morizet, environment minister. “He’s right when he says sub-standard housing is an issue despite all the government’s efforts,” she said.

All the main parties will be aware of the damage a rogue celebrity might do at the polls. Three decades ago comedian Coluche (real name Michel Colucci) announced he was to run saying: “Before me, France was split in two. With me it will split its sides [laughing].”

He also backed down but not before envoys for the front-runners in the 1981 election – Valery Giscard d’Estaing and François Mitterand – had visited.

In December 2010, Cantona – as well known for drop-kicking a Crystal Palace fan who abused him after a 1995 red card as for his prowess on the pitch – called on savers to withdraw their cash from banks because of their role in triggering the global crisis. His call went unheeded.