Sarkozy holds economic crisis talks

France’s President Nicolas Sarkozy is interrupting his holiday to hold an emergency government meeting about the uncertainty on world financial markets.

His office said in a statement that he is holding talks in his Elysee presidential palace this morning with select ministers and the head of the French central bank “about the economic and financial situation”.

Finance Minister Francois Baroin, Budget Minister Valerie Pecresse, Foreign Minister Alain Juppe and European Affairs Minister Jean Leonetti will attend.

Mr Sarkozy and some other European leaders have been criticised for remaining on their traditional August holidays as turmoil gripped financial markets.

The president had been on the French Riviera earlier this week.