French politicians target Sarkozy in appeal

PARIS (Reuters) - In a thinly-veiled attack against President Nicolas Sarkozy, a group of leading French politicians have signed an appeal opposing the creation of an "elective monarchy" in France.

Prime Minister Francois Fillon on Friday denounced the initiative by the 17 political heavyweights as "deeply anti-democratic".

The appeal was signed, amongst others by Socialist former presidential candidate Segolene Royal, former conservative Prime Minister Dominique de Villepin and centrist leader Francois Bayrou. It will be published in Marianne magazine on Saturday.

Without mentioning Sarkozy by name, the group refer to recent controversies involving the president and state "their refusal to accept any slippage towards a form of purely personal power that borders on an elective monarchy".

The group reaffirms their determination to keep religion out of the public discourse and their attachment to media freedom.

Sarkozy has been accused of violating France's separation of church and state by, amongst other things, suggesting the clergy should have a lead role in teaching moral values to children.

He has also been accused of forging overly-close ties with the owners of big French media groups, who critics say have protected the president's image.

The 17 politicians also called for "a dignified foreign policy, attached to the defence of human rights".

Fillon accused the signatories of trying to undermine the presidency by implying that the state was in danger.

"This is a bid to destabilize the president of the republic, which is to my mind, deeply shocking and deeply anti-democratic," he told reporters.

Sarkozy's approval ratings have plunged in recent weeks, with voters accusing the president of focusing too heavily on his private life and not enough on France's economic problems.

Critics also say he has concentrated far too much power into his own hands since winning election last May, dominating the political stage and leaving his own ministers with little room for maneuver.

(Reporting by Sophie Louet and Crispian Balmer; editing by Philippa Fletcher)