Sarkozy defends record in speech

President Nicolas Sarkozy defended his unpopular policies as having insulated France from the worst consequences of Europe’s debt crisis, declaring in a nationalistic speech to thousands of supporters that “the truth doesn’t scare me”.

In the first major speech of his re-election campaign, Mr Sarkozy hit out at his opponent and election front-runner, Socialist candidate Francois Hollande, painting him as a liar who would say anything to get elected.