'C'est l'élite finale'

Nicolas Sarkozy has thrown himself into the campaign fray this weekend with his first big rally - an unashamedly populist and nationalistic appeal to France's working classes.

IN THE PAPERS

By Elena CASAS

Le Figaro say Sarkozy was evoking the spirit of de Gaulle - showing that only he can fill the president's shoes - while for Le Parisien the speech was a populist and nationalistic appeal to ordinary people.

Liberation says it's beyond satire that a man so associated with tax breaks for the rich should now be trying to paint himslf as the people's president - and L'Humanité says it's a swing to the extreme right.

La Croix points out that if it's Marine Le Pen he's targeting, then he seems to be winning - she's going down in the polls as he goes up.

26/04/2013 - IN THE FRENCH PAPERS

Who's holding the steering wheel?

With record unemployment figures published, French papers are headlining on the jobs crisis. Many point the finger at the government, which is accused of not doing enough to address the problem. Also, François Hollande comes in for criticism on a state visit to China, while troops returning from Mali report that many of the Islamist fighters in the north of the country were just young boys.

25/04/2013 - IN THE WORLD PAPERS

Bangladesh: rescuers race against time

IN THE WORLD PAPERS: Papers across the world react to the tragic and deadly collapse of a building outside Dhaka in Bangladesh. The Wall Street Journal says that unfortunately this not the first industrial disaster in the region. Also, Italy gets a new Prime Minister, DNA celebrates the 60th anniversary of its discovery and Brazil's World Cup gets its own noise maker.

25/04/2013 - IN THE FRENCH PAPERS

Human rights: François Hollande's silence

IN THE FRENCH PAPERS - 25/04/13: French papers react to François Hollande's first ever visit to China. Libération says Hollande is wrong to remain silent about human rights abuses there. Meanwhile, Les Echos says the government's refusal of a bill put forward by the Communist party marks the divorce between the Socialists and the far-left.

24/04/2013 - IN THE WORLD PAPERS

'The British businessman who sold fake bomb detectors to Iraq'

INTERNATIONAL PAPERS, Weds. 25/04/13: Haaretz explores why the US is so reluctant to back Israel's claims that Syria has repeatedly used chemical weapons. Meanwhile, the Independent explains how a British tycoon managed to trick Iraq into buying millions of pounds worth of fake bomb detectors - a scam with a very tragic human cost. Finally, the Independent says George W. Bush could be on the road to rehabilitation with his new presidential library.

24/04/2013 - IN THE FRENCH PAPERS

Let the gay weddings begin!

FRENCH PAPERS, Weds. 25/04/13: French papers react to the legalisation of gay marriage here in France after a final vote in Parliament yesterday. The left applauds a "historic" day, while the right wonders what there is to celebrate about such a divisive law. Also, are European leaders starting to change their minds about the effectiveness of austerity policies?