Correo de noticias al 18/02/08

Mexicans refuse to call time on historic bar

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2008/feb/18/mexico

Why the barrios still love Hugo

http://commentisfree.guardian.co.uk/calvin_tucker/2008/02/why_the_barrios_still_love_hug.html

PM faces storm as Rock shares are suspended

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/politics/article3388980.ece

http://www.jornada.unam.mx/2008/02/18/index.php?section=opinion&article=004o1pol

Astillero

Julio Hernández López
Fax: 5605-2099 • juliohdz@jornada.com.mx

Instalar controles en el DF

Estrategia militar y electoral

Siembra de miedo en vísperas de activismo

Cárteles Gemelos: narco y gobierno

La ciudad de México fue incorporada el pasado viernes al circuito nacional de control político y social que, a partir de incidentes oscuros relacionados con el narcotráfico, han ido instalando fuerzas federales armadas y calderones impugnados. El asomo del miedo inducido se produjo a poco más de una semana de que en la capital del país se realice una importante manifestación pública de rechazo a los proyectos felipillos de apertura de Pemex al capital privado. Los sucesos de la avenida Chapultepec son suficientemente ambiguos y por ello arrojan sospechas y amagos en múltiples direcciones, pero, aun cuando las especulaciones más insistentes hablan de grupos de narcotraficantes que habrían actuado en venganza contra autoridades capitalinas por la detención de siete poseedores de lo que se llamó “un arsenal”, el resultado neto del bombazo cercano a las oficinas centrales de la policía del Distrito Federal es la instalación de un referente “de nota roja” que justificaría eventuales acciones desproporcionadas de fuerzas federales e inclusive la militarización en una estratégica demarcación donde hasta ahora la ilegitimidad no ha podido establecer dominio.

La plaza capitalina está, como es sabido, en el centro de las estrategias del panismo-calderonismo para 2009. Personajes múltiples del partido blanquiazul continuamente hacen declaraciones y consideraciones negativas respecto a los gobiernos del perredismo indeseado (es decir, de López Obrador y Encinas, pues Rosario Robles y Cuauhtémoc Carderón son puestos como aliado ejemplo plausible), e incluso hay un picapleitos institucional, una especie de peleador rudo designado, el multiusos Javier Lozano, que ahora funge como secretario del trabajo y de agricultura, una especie de caballo negro laboral. En el fondo de esas confrontaciones sistemáticas está la pretensión de desgastar la hasta ahora hegemónica fuerza electoral del perredismo, en particular y, en general, de una amplia franja ciudadana sin partido que frente al conservadurismo del PAN y la corrupción del PRI ha optado por las posturas progresistas (así sean tan mal servidas como sucede con Marcelo Ebrard, que con frecuencia parece más un yuppie panista o un priísta del periodo clásico tardío que un político medianamente de izquierda, o así se pasen vergüenzas extremas con legisladores y funcionarios locales de origen perredista).

Siendo, pues, el Distrito Federal la sede de la mayor resistencia política y social a los proyectos del calderonismo, sería insensato que no hicieran presencia armada y abrieran flancos de intervención quienes se preparan para enfrentar la posibilidad de una segunda oleada de activismo lopezobradorista, después de lo específicamente poselectoral. Así como George W. Bush fue beneficiado en sus planes de control social y negocios de elite por los sucesos siempre bajo sospecha de las Torres Gemelas, el comandante Calderón ha fundado su desenvolvimiento institucional en la “guerra contra el narco”. Auténtica guerra perdida mientras haya consumidores tan redituables como los estadunidenses y mientras las estructuras políticas, policiacas y militares del país estén comprometidas activamente con uno u otro de los cárteles en pugna impuesta; la del narcotráfico ha sido una sucesión de batallas que ha ido instalando por doquier la noción de que las autoridades federales pueden hacer lo que quieran, como violar derechos humanos, atropellar disposiciones constitucionales y, ahora, en caso de que sea aprobada la llamada Ley Gestapo, contar con coartadas legales para entrar a domicilios sin orden judicial, sea por razones presuntamente delictivas o por razones políticas e ideológicas. Ese binomio de fronteras indefinibles (narcotraficantes-policías, cárteles-gobierno), puesto mutuamente al servicio de causas que les son íntimas, bien puede montar provocaciones al hacer que sean detenidos cargamentos de armas que con buena difusión mediática acaben instalando una presunta rivalidad acendrada entre delincuentes supuestamente en busca de venganza y un gobierno de siglas perredistas así arrojado a un campo bélico en el que todo puede pasar, desde atentados a funcionarios de primer nivel hasta daños públicos de gran resonancia social que “minen” la confianza ciudadana en su gobierno y “abran los ojos” electorales a una alternativa partidista.

La inserción del DF en la agenda de los Cárteles Gemelos tiene también como telón de fondo el reavivamiento de sectores sociales que luego de protestar contra el fraude electoral (y ver ese movimiento estancarse, enredarse y decaer) están decididos a movilizarse contra el peligro histórico que significan los planes del calderonismo entreguista respecto a riquezas nacionales. Dado que buena parte de los mexicanos no acaban por acostumbrarse a las cosas malas que suceden (como quisiera el secretario de marina de Irak, el almirante Saynez, respecto a los bombazos), los promotores y beneficiarios de esa descomposición institucional saben bien que lo mejor para sus intereses son las tácticas productoras de miedo y la colocación de los emplazamientos armados en las zonas sabidamente más rebeldes. Por cierto, “Saynez dice: ‘son bien chidos,/ por doquier, los estallidos’”, es el título de la décima que envía el profesor Benjamín Cortés Valadez: “Al titular de Marina/ un bombazo, aunque sea cruento,/ como ya es mundial evento,/ le parece de rutina;/ ante tal pasiflorina/ del militar funcionario/ que llama al ¡Pum!, ordinario,/ pronto hará que en la telera/ se pueda ver cartelera/ de nuestro estallido diario”.

Y, mientras Valdés Zurita (VaZurita) demuestra a qué intereses reales sirve y cuál es el sentido de la mascarada de su presunto “izquierdismo” (ya dio carpetazo al asunto de los espots que adulteraron la elección presidencial; pronto impulsará la quema de las boletas electorales), ¡hasta mañana, con Hidalgo como una muestra más de que no hay elecciones estatales medianamente confiables, sino montajes al servicio del gobernador o la clase gobernante en turno!

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2008/feb/18/kosovo.serbia4

7.15pm GMT update

US and EU powers to recognise Kosovan statehood

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2008/feb/18/usa2

JFK murder transcript most likely fake

http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2008/feb/18/iraq.iraq

3.30pm GMT update

Secret draft of Iraq dossier released

http://commentisfree.guardian.co.uk/ilana_betel/2008/02/of_all_the_outcomes_of.html

Kosovo and the law

Kosovo's declaration of independence has turned Russia into the main guardian of international law at the UN

http://books.guardian.co.uk/departments/politicsphilosophyandsociety/story/0,,2257611,00.html

'9/11 ripped the bandage off US culture'

No sooner had the Twin Towers fallen than the search began for the heroes of 9/11. But only men seemed to be eligible. The women who died were ignored; those who survived were encouraged to get back to baking and child-rearing. So says Susan Faludi in her new book The Terror Dream. Decca Aitkenhead meets her and, overleaf, we print the first of three exclusive extracts

Northern Rock, owned by UK Ltd

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/northern-rock-owned-by-uk-ltd-783533.html

By Nigel Morris

Monday, 18 February 2008

The aftermath of the first run on a British bank for 150 years ended yesterday as Chancellor Alistair Darling announced that the beleaguered Northern Rock was to be nationalised.

Both the Chancellor and Gordon Brown had been desperate to avoid taking the crisis-hit mortgage lender into state control and had spent five frantic months trying to find a private buyer for the bank.

Mr Darling, who has endured a torrid start to his stewardship of the Treasury, finally gave up the search and confirmed the dramatic retreat in a hastily announced press conference. The Chancellor stressed that nationalisation was only a temporary step and said he intended to return the bank to the private sector once market conditions improve.

But public ownership represents a massive gamble for ministers, who are now responsible for mortgages worth £100bn and for the livelihoods of thousands of Northern Rock staff, mainly in Labour's heartlands in the north-east of England.

If the markets fail to pick up, the Government could be left with a financial and political liability for years to come.

The move, described by the Tories as the day Mr Brown's reputation for economic competence died, also threatens to revive memories of nationalisation by Labour governments of the 1960s and 1970s, an era New Labour had hoped to consign to the history books.

Mr Darling's announcement came five months after Northern Rock was engulfed by the turmoil over sub-prime mortgages in the United States. Facing the threat of collapse in September, the bank was forced to turn to the Bank of England for an emergency bail-out. The Government, shaken by images of savers queuing at Northern Rock branches to withdraw their cash, propped it up with loans and guarantees of more than £50bn to avert the development of a fully-fledged banking crisis.

Ministers had initially been optimistic about the chance of finding a private buyer for the bank, with Sir Richard Branson's Virgin group and a management buy-out emerging as front-runners.

But Mr Darling was eventually forced to abandon the negotiations, choosing yesterday for the announcement before the money markets open this morning.

The Chancellor explained that neither of the private proposals to take over Northern Rock offered "sufficient value for money to the taxpayer".

He said: "It is better for the Government to hold on to Northern Rock for a temporary period and as and when market conditions improve, the value of Northern Rock will grow and therefore the taxpayer will gain. The long-term ownership of this bank must lie in the private sector."

He stressed that the Financial Services Authority had reassured him that the bank was solvent and its mortgage book remained of good quality.

Mr Darling will make a Commons statement today, confirming that emergency legislation will be rushed through Parliament to take the bank into public ownership. The Prime Minister will also defend the decision in his monthly press conference today.

The Chancellor has already been forced to retreat over plans to overhaul capital gains tax and to clamp down on "non-domiciles", foreigners who live in Britain but do not pay tax on their overseas income.

A month before his first Budget, he faces fears of a slowdown in the economy and stagnating house prices. He is also under pressure to abandon planned increases in fuel duty because of worries about its impact on business and industry.

George Osborne, the shadow Chancellor, said the nationalisation had dealt a hammer blow to Britain's reputation for financial services. He told Sky News: "We have had months of dithering and delays and ended up in the catastrophic position, on a Sunday afternoon, of the Chancellor announcing this decision to nationalise Northern Rock."

He added: "They have dithered for months and months trying to create a private sale that was never really there."

Vince Cable, the Liberal Democrat Treasury spokesman, who first argued for nationalisation, said: "Belatedly the Government has made the right decision." But he warned: "There will be difficult times ahead, especially for the employees, as the bank is downsized.

"However, there is now hope for the long-term future of the bank when it is eventually sold in more satisfactory conditions."

Sir Richard Branson, who had wanted to rebrand Northern Rock as Virgin Bank, said he was "very disappointed" by the announcement. He said: "We were very clear the business plan we put forward was robust, conservative but ultimately capable of rescuing the interests of all stakeholders.

"However, we must accept the decision with good grace and hope that the Rock will somehow find better fortune in the future."

Northern Rock will now be run by Ron Sandler, the former chief executive at Lloyd's of London, who will travel to Northern Rock's Newcastle upon Tyne headquarters today for talks with the bank's managers and unions.

Most observers believe widespread redundancies are inevitable as part of an attempt to trim some of the fat off the business to make it more attractive to future buyers.

Its investors will be offered compensation for their shares set by a government-appointed arbitration panel which will settle on a fair price. But shareholders, including two hedge funds, could launch legal action if they are unhappy with the amount offered.

Robin Ashby, founder of the Northern Rock Small Shareholders' Group, said that he was "shocked and appalled" at the decision. He said: "It's terrible for Britain's reputation as a financial centre and bad news for the shareholders having the bank stolen away from them."

Mr Ashby said he was "disgusted" that proper consideration had not been given to the latest offer from the bank's management on Friday, which he believed was the "sensible" option to rescue the institution. "This will be hanging around the Government for years to come, right up until the next general election," he said.

Fireworks exploded. Horns were sounded. And so the nation of Kosovo was created

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/europe/fireworks-exploded-horns-were-sounded-and-so-the-nation-of-kosovo-was-created-783537.html

By Peter Popham in Pristina

Monday, 18 February 2008

"It's the biggest day for a million years!" declared an ecstatic Kosovar, celebrating his country's independence along with tens of thousands of other ethnic Albanians in Pristina last night.

Fireworks exploded over the city, thousands of cars paraded through the streets, horns blaring and bonnets strung with Albanian flags, while men and women in traditional costume banged drums and danced and sang.

Kosovo became the world's 193rd nation state yesterday. For the Albanians who constitute 90 per cent of Kosovo's people, the declaration marked the end of generations of oppression by Serbs, who claim Kosovo as their historic homeland but for centuries have accounted for a minority of its population. Yet for all the euphoria, there was a decorous, almost sombre edge to the festivities. Kosovo takes to the world stage with the less than unanimous backing of Europe and amid angry denunciations by Serbia and Russia.

The declaration of independence by Prime Minister Hashim Thaci was immediately followed by a statement from his Serb counterpart, Vojislav Kostunica, vowing that Serbia would never recognise it. In Mitrovica, the main flashpoint of ethnic tensions during the Balkans' dark days, grenades were thrown, although they caused no injuries. Jubilant Kosovars shrugged off the threat.

"We don't worry about Serbia," said Mehmet Osmani, 49, a Pristina businessman celebrating with his brother. "Serbia lost Kosovo totally in 1999. This is the last moment they can tell us what to do – now we are equal. The Serbs are nervous now but in time they will calm down. And that goes for Serbians living in Kosovo. No one will do them any harm."

Nine years after the Nato bombing campaign – sparked by fears that Slobodan Milosevic was planning ethnic cleansing against the Kosovars – the country's 39-year-old Prime Minister announced the long-awaited birth of the new country. "This day has been long in coming," he said, "But ... from this moment on, Kosovo is proud, independent and free."

The former guerrilla and political leader of the Kosovo Liberation Army showed scant emotion as he read out the declaration. Referring to his own life, he said: "My family, like yours ... never wavered and never lost faith in our countrymen. From the brother who left his family to fight, to the farmer who would not cede his land, to the women and men who opened their homes and taught our children, to the student who stood up and said 'No more' ... we never wavered and never lost faith in our countrymen."

MPs cheered as Kosovo's new flag, with the country's outline on yellow under six gold stars on a dark blue background was hoisted above the assembly. Also witnessing the scene was the family of the late writer turned pacifist leader Ibrahim Rugova, the man who did more than anyone to foster Kosovo's sense of destiny. This was not the first time Kosovo has declared itself independent – Mr Rugova announced it way back in 1992.

Seven miserable years followed during which the government of Milosevic drove Albanians out of public life to keep the province in subjection. Kosovo has been straining at the leash ever since Serbia's defeat in the 1999 bombing campaign but was held back by the compulsion of its international backers to obtain international consensus for the move. It never arrived.

After a year of intensive negotiations with both sides, the UN special envoy Martti Ahtisaari concluded that a compromise between Serbs and Kosovars was impossible, and instead recommended "independence supervised by the international community".

That was expected to become a reality last year until Russia changed its mind and vetoed the proposal in the UN Security Council. It has been nearly a year since Mr Ahtisaari's report was delivered but the EU, stiffened by the US, has finally got up the courage to defy Moscow and Belgrade.

As Mr Thaci underlined before parliament, the challenges this tiny state faces are daunting. With the youngest population in Europe, 40 per cent unemployment and little in the way of industry or exports, it will have a hard job making its way in the world. Serbia has long threatened to implement a "secret plan" of retaliation if Kosovo broke away, which could include cuts in energy exports and road blockades. Serbia has also threatened diplomatic and trade measures against states that recognise Kosovo's independence.

Mr Thaci's speech was filled with references to the multi-ethnic nature of the new state. But the Serb government has instructed Kosovo's Serbians to boycott its institutions and has vowed to regain the province.

Ever since the end of the war, Kosovo's Serbians have followed orders from Belgrade to ignore the Albanian administration while accepting the role of the UN and Nato. With the UN mission Unmik to be phased out and replaced by a 2,000-strong European force of police, prosecutors and judges, relations with the Serbians are likely to worsen, as Belgrade has condemned the EU mission as illegal.

Yesterday, hand grenades aside, there were no signs of the violence of Kosovo's earlier rites of passage. Kosovars had been implored by their government to "celebrate independence with dignity for a bright start". "If I am happy, the Serbians should be happy, too," said one reveller last night. "Every Serbian who is honest and did not commit crimes is welcome to live with us."

Northern Rock shares suspended

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/business/news/northern-rock-shares-suspended-783649.html

PA

Monday, 18 February 2008

Gordon Brown today defended the Government's decision to nationalise the stricken Northern Rock bank.

At his monthly Downing Street news conference, the Prime Minister said that they had taken action in the best interests of the taxpayer.

"We will and always have put the interests of taxpayers first," he said.

Flanked by Chancellor Alistair Darling, Mr Brown said that it would have been wrong not to have explored the options for a private sector solution.

"Given that both bids that came forward involved a subsidy from Government without an appropriate level of return for taxpayers, after detailed consideration and independent advice, the Chancellor concluded that the right decision is to hold Northern Rock in temporary public ownership, to be run at arms length from the Government under professional management until market conditions change," he said.

Mr Brown acknowledged that Britain was affected by "sharp changes" in the world financial markets, but insisted that it was well placed to ride out the current difficulties.

"Because of the decisions we have made, Britain is in a better position to deal with global turbulence," he said.

The European Commission said it was keeping a "very close eye" on the Northern Rock situation - but had no involvement in issues of public or private ownership.

"The EU treaty is very clear that the European Commission must be completely neutral about public or private ownership. This is a matter on which we have no opinion," said a Commission spokesman.

The Commission approved a Government package of rescue aid for Northern Rock last year. That approval expires on March 17 and any new national aid plan injecting funds into the bank would also need to be authorised by Brussels.

"If there were to be a new round of public support then that would have to be notified to us and would have to be vetted for compatibility with European state aid rules," explained the spokesman.

"We have been in regular contact with the UK authorities on Northern Rock and that contact is continuing. We have been keeping a very close eye on the situation, and that continues."

The Prime Minister said: "We have steered a course of stability through difficult times and so my message is: stability is our watchword and will remain so; to protect savers and to secure the best interests of taxpayers; we have the strength to take the long-term decisions and the strength to see them through."

The Government would have been "failing in our duty" if every possible option, including the private takeover proposals, had not been examined, he said, rejecting suggestions that he received official advice to nationalise the bank in the autumn.

Mr Darling said that, with the approval of MPs, Parliament would begin debating emergency legislation to nationalise the bank tomorrow.

The bank was "open as normal", he said, announcing that former Abbey National chief financial officer Stephen Hester had been asked to join the board as a non-executive deputy chairman by Ron Sandler - the man charged with running the nationalised bank.

"Having looked at the options, we think the best option is this temporary period of public ownership and that is what we intend to do," he said.

Mr Brown defended his successor's record at the Treasury despite a series of high-profile controversies over tax changes as well as the Northern Rock problem.

"We are dealing with a global financial situation; I believe we have been better prepared because of the actions of Alistair Darling in the Treasury than in other countries," he said.

The "test of economic competence" was the UK's stable economy and higher growth and employment than competitor nations, he added.

'Dodgy dossier' was 'wrong', its author says

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/dodgy-dossier-was-wrong-its-author-says-783374.html

By Ian Griggs and Brian Brady

Sunday, 17 February 2008

The government official who wrote the first draft of the "dodgy dossier" that helped propel Britain into war in Iraq today admits, "We were wrong."

John Williams, a former Foreign Office aide, said last night that publication of his document would expose how members of Tony Blair's team were locked in a mindset that made military action inevitable.

On Wednesday, ministers will hit a deadline for publishing the 2002 document, after years of resistance.

The Williams draft was written in September 2002, only days after Mr Blair, then Prime Minister, announced that the Government would publish a dossier of intelligence showing that Saddam Hussein threatened the world with his weapons.

The draft was not disclosed at the Hutton inquiry into the death in 2003 of the former Iraq arms inspector David Kelly. The scientist had suggested the dossier was exaggerated to justify the UK joining the 2003 invasion.

Mr Williams, press secretary to three foreign secretaries, said that the dossier would show how wrong the Blair team was about Saddam's alleged possession of WMD. Mr Williams said: "The argument was that here was someone who had been known to possess illegal weapons. We regarded him as a threat." He added: "The document will show the mindset that everyone had. It was wrong and we know that now."

The Government has yet to decide whether to publish the draft dossier, in line with an information tribunal judgment last month.

Ministers have insisted that the dossier was entirely the work of intelligence agencies, but Mr Williams's role remains unclear. Mr Williams denies that he came up with the claim that Saddam could have launched a WMD strike within 45 minutes.

He said: "I was a member of the team looking at it.... I used the available information to write it, but [intelligence chief] John Scarlett was then commissioned to write it instead."

Andrew Murray, chairman of the Stop the War Coalition, said it was time the British people were told the truth: "The issue is how much the decision was based on intelligence, and how much [it was] a product of manipulation in Downing Street."

Shock defeat opens door to united Cyprus

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/europe/shock-defeat-opens-door-to-united-cyprus-783552.html

By John Lichfield

Monday, 18 February 2008

Hopes of progress towards a united Cyprus soared last night with the unexpected defeat of President Tassos Papadopoulos in the first round of the country's presidential elections.

Mr Papadopoulos, 74, a hardliner on Greek Cypriot rights, was regarded as a barrier to new negotiations to end the 34-year-old division between the island's Greek and Turkish-speaking communities. He was beaten narrowly into third place in a cliff-hanger contest, in which he had been expected to come first.

The two leading candidates, a former foreign minister, Ioannis Kasoulides, and the Communist Party leader, Demetris Christofias, will enter a run-off on 24 February. Both men have called for new negotiations to end the separation imposed after a Turkish invasion following a Greek-cypriot coup in 1974.

The contest almost ended in a three-way dead heat. Mr Kasoulides topped the poll with 33.54 per cent. Mr Christofias scored 33.27 per cent and President Papadopoulos 31.77 per cent.

Opinion polls have suggested that, in a run-off with Mr Kasoulides, the Communist Party leader has the best chance of becoming President. If so, he would be the first ever communist leader of an EU country.

The United Nations put forward a plan to re-unite the island before it joined the European Union in 2004. The proposals were heavily approved by Turkish-Cypriots but overwhelmingly rejected in the Greek-speaking south.

Cyprus joined the EU nevertheless but European law applies only to the south of the island. The north remains under the control of a Turkish-Cypriot government, recognised only by Turkey.

President Papadopoulos led the fight against the peace plan, complaining that it allowed settlers from the Turkish mainland to remain on the island but restricted the rights of Greek-Cypriots to reclaim property in the north.

Failure to resolve the dispute is seen as one of the main obstacles to negotiations on Turkish entry to the EU. Both candidates who won through to the second round have welcomed the idea of new UN-sponsored talks with the Turkish community.

The fact that they both succeeded, at the hardline President's expense, might suggest that the Greek-Cypriot community has become less militant in the past four years. It certainly opens the way to new talks, whoever wins on 24 February. "If you want to extract a political message out of it, 65 per cent of Greek Cypriots voted for clear pro-solution candidates," said a political analyst, Hubert Faustmann. "The Greek Cypriots are back at the negotiation table."

But past experience of false dawns will lead other European governments, and the UN, to be, at best, cautiously hopeful of a settlement. "Our aspiration is to reunite this country and its people, Greek and Turkish Cypriots ... people who deserve better," said Mr Christofias, 62.

Mr Kasoulides, 59, has campaigned for Cyprus to become a united and modern European country. Before voting yesterday, he said: "Today we decide to move Cyprus forward as a modern EU state ... and to start the real struggle to end the [Turkish] occupation."

Middle-class voters appear to have turned against the President. Emerging from a polling booth, Phedra Kyprianides, 42, a businesswoman, said: "I didn't vote for Papadopoulos because I want to live in a state where it is no longer 'them and us' ... and where we all feel safe."

Top politicians warn of 'Sarkozy the monarch'

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/europe/top-politicians-warn-of-sarkozy-the-monarch-783553.html

By John Lichfield in Paris

Monday, 18 February 2008

A group of senior French politicians, from right, left and centre, have signed a petition warning against the "drift towards monarchy" in the style and policies of President Nicolas Sarkozy.

The petition – which has enraged the President and his closest supporters – was signed by his party colleague, the former prime minister Dominique de Villepin, and by the defeated Socialist presidential candidate, Ségolène Royal.

Other signatories include the centrist politician François Bayrou and Pierre Lefranc, a former head of the private office of Charles de Gaulle. The former president Jacques Chirac is said to have considered signing the petition but decided not to.

Without naming President Sarkozy directly, the petition warns of a "drift towards a purely personal form of power bordering on an elected monarchy". The scarcely disguised attack came as M. Sarkozy's popularity has slumped through a mixture of disapproval of his showbiz life-style and discontent with a sluggish French economy.

In a new CSA poll for the newspaper Le Parisien yesterday, only 41 per cent of those asked thought that M. Sarkozy was a "good president of the Republic".

The petition, drawn up by the centre-left and fiercely republican news magazine, Marianne, provoked an explosion from M. Sarkozy's supporters. They said the statement had been signed by a "syndicate of bad losers" wanting to challenge the democratic choice made by the French people only nine months ago.

Mme Royal and M. Bayrou were the President's chief opponents in the last elections. M. Villepin, from the same centre-right party as M. Sarkozy, is a long-time rival who faces legal action for trying to smear him in 2004.

M. Sarkozy is said to have been personally wounded by the petition, which he regards as part of an unprecedented media campaign to "lynch" a sitting president. The Elysée Palace hopes that a coalition of such disparate personalities, all known "Sarko haters" will in fact revive sympathy for the head of state.

After appearing supremely assured and unstoppable in his first months in office, M. Sarkozy has suffered a string of public relations disasters in past weeks. His most recent attempt to recapture the headlines, and the moral policy agenda – suggesting that all 10-year-olds should be "twinned" with a child who died in the Holocaust – backfired badly. His divorce and rapid remarriage to the singer, Carla Bruni has also helped melt his popularity in the polls.