France's Sarkozy to announce re-election bid this week

PARIS: French President Nicolas Sarkozy is expected to announce his bid for re-election this week, setting the stage for what he hopes will be a dramatic comeback against his poll-leading Socialist rival.

With only 10 weeks before the first round of France's presidential vote on April 22, right-wing Sarkozy is lagging in the polls, struggling with image problems and burdened with a moribund economy.

But his team is confident that once officially in the race Sarkozy, a seasoned and charismatic campaigner, will be able to quickly make up ground on frontrunner Francois Hollande.

"The game is far from over. The polls, the comments, all this will be wiped away in the three weeks before the election," Prime Minister Francois Fillon, a long-time Sarkozy ally, told Le Monde on Monday.

"He has maintained his close relationship with the French people. During the campaign he will find the words and ways to reach out to them."

Right-wing newspaper Le Figaro, often used for semi-official statements from the president's camp, wrote on Monday that Sarkozy will officially announce his candidacy by Thursday.

Quoting anonymous members of his campaign team, it said Sarkozy will hold his first campaign rally on Sunday in the southern port city of Marseille.

Sarkozy has been laying the groundwork for his run in the last several weeks - portraying himself as a defender of traditional values and a steady hand in dealing with the European economic crisis. (AFP)