Sarkozy calls for new EU treaty, fresh UK referendum

[PARIS] Nicolas Sarkozy, the former French president who is seeking a return to power, said he would try to re-negotiate European Union treaties if he is elected next year.

"Europe must be re-founded with a Franco-German initiative for a new treaty," Mr Sarkozy said on his official Twitter account late Tuesday.

Mr Sarkozy said earlier that his first trip if he was to win the president election would be to Berlin to meet German Chancellor Angela Merkel to convince her of his plan, including the overhaul of the Schengen accord that permits free movement across some European borders.

"If we have a base for a new EU treaty I will then go the UK to tell them this is the opportunity to do a new referendum to see if they want to link Britain to Europe," he said on BFM television earlier this month.

Mr Sarkozy is seeking his party's nomination in November as part of the 2017 presidential race.

The life-long politician was French president between 2007 and 2012, when he was defeated at the polls by Socialist Francois Hollande.

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