France's Sarkozy in furore over axed TV debate

By Jon Boyle

PARIS (Reuters) - Socialist presidential candidate Segolene Royal and a defeated centrist rival accused rightist contender Nicolas Sarkozy on Friday of trying to stifle freedom of speech, ramping up the pressure in the French election.

Centrist Francois Bayrou, whose voters hold the key to next month's presidential run-off between Sarkozy and Royal, said the conservative leader had used his media contacts to try to stop him from holding a televised debate with the Socialist hopeful.

Sarkozy called the accusations insulting and his campaign director said Bayrou was using "Stalinist" tactics. "It's slander, a slanderous insinuation," said Claude Gueant.

The highly unusual debate between Bayrou and Royal was due to be screened on Canal+ television channel on Saturday, but the station pulled out on Thursday, citing election broadcasting rules that demand equal airtime for the two run off finalists.

In the end, a small 24-hour news channel stepped into the breach, saying it would air the debate, which is aimed at seeing whether the Socialists and centrists can find common ground for a possible election alliance.

Royal is keen to use Saturday's debate to flag the values she shares with Bayrou and draw away moderates attracted to Sarkozy's energy and drive, but worried by his hardliner image. Some of Royal's leftist supporters have criticized her move.

Bayrou's third place in Sunday's first round means his 7 million voters could decide whether Royal, who came second in the opening round of the election on April 22, or frontrunner Sarkozy win the run-off.

Bayrou has refused to endorse either but made clear his antipathy to Sarkozy, who used to be a close ally, telling RTL radio he was sure Sarkozy wanted to muzzle his opponents.

"I say with certainty that we have before our eyes today the proof of this propensity or choice of Nicolas Sarkozy to control the news and debate, and this is harmful for France."

ROYAL TRAILING

Royal said: "I think all the pressure that has taken place, notably within a media-financial system to which Nicolas Sarkozy is very linked, have no reason to exist in a democratic country where freedom of speech and debate is very important."

"I'm today holding out my hand ... to all those who think that human values must always prevail over financial and market values," an upbeat Royal told 15,000 cheering Socialist faithful at rally in the southern city of Lyon.

Royal has narrowed the gap on Sarkozy but still trails in recent surveys, making it vital for her to woo the centrists.

A TNS Sofres poll this week showed 46 percent of Bayrou's voters support Royal, against 25 percent for Sarkozy and 29 percent who have yet to make up their minds. Other polls have showed support roughly evenly split.

Bayrou campaigned loudly against Sarkozy's links to big business and media groups, notably the main TF1 TV station owned by Martin Bouygues, a close Sarkozy friend who runs the media, construction and telecommunications conglomerate Bouygues.