Eric Cantona wants to be the next president of France 00:08 GMT, Tuesday, 10 January 2012 Former Manchester United striker Eric Cantona has revealed he wants to be the next president of France. The 45-year-old is hoping to run in this year's presidential election and is currently trying to gather the 500 signatures needed. He needs them by the end of February and has sent a letter to French mayors asking for their support. In the letter, Cantona denounces the limited opportunities for young people in France. The letter, which was printed in the newspaper Liberation, said: "This engagement obliges me to speak, more earnestly than usual, but also with a keen sense of my responsibility, at a time when our country faces difficult choices which will be decisive for its future." He also described the social injustices faced by French youngsters as "too numerous, too violent and too systematic". Candidates who get the required number of signatures will compete in a first round in late April, with the two biggest vote-winners going through to a decisive second round in early May. Despite Cantona's fame, he faces a difficult task to get through the first stage without the backing of a party. It is not the first time the Frenchman has made the headlines for his political comments. In 2010 he called on people to empty their bank accounts in protest at the global financial crisis. Since retiring from football, Cantona, who scored 64 goals in 144 games for Manchester United and helped them secure their first Premier League title in 1993, has starred in several films including Ken Loach's Palme D'or-nominated Looking for Eric. He returned to the game in January last year when he was named director of soccer at New York Cosmos. http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/16479880.stm
I live in france, and the next elections are a pile of piss. Sarkozy: horrible little man, but his party poilicies are ok Socialists: Nice bloke as candidate, but the party policies are horrible the other man: well who votes for him? and the FN of course: Racist pillocks who deserve to be shot at least Cantona would be fun
Which ex footballer would you have running this country? Maybe if MON could combine it with his current job we all might be onto a winner!
So from director of soccer at New York Cosmos to President of France. It seems to me that is just the next logical step up.
Socialist policies are only crap because they are not allowed to succeed in the capitalist global economy that prevails which is currently responsible for bringing the world to its knees...
