Sarkozy in last-ditch appeal to far right

French President Nicolas Sarkozy made a last-ditch appeal to far-right voters after failing to land a knockout blow in a heated televised debate with Socialist rival François Hollande before Sunday’s presidential run-off.

Hollande, ahead in opinion polls by six to 10 points, was calm and unflappable during the nearly three-hour debate while the conservative Sarkozy, struggling to catch up with the moderate social democrat, appeared agitated and tense.

Commentators said the confrontation, watched by 17.8m people out of an electorate of 44.5m, was probably a draw but its outcome appeared to favour Hollande by laying to rest doubts about the character of a man who has never held a ministerial position.