Eric Cantona 'presidential run' is charity publicity stunt

ERIC CANTONA has made a career out of bizarre statements and odd behaviour - and his latest endeavour is no different. The former Manchester United football star is seeking the support of France's mayors for his candidacy in presidential elections this year - but as always with King Eric, his actions are not what they seem.

In a letter sent to local elected officials last week and published by Liberation yesterday, the former Manchester United footballer says he is "a citizen who is attentive to our age" which offers "too-limited chances" to the young and generates "violent" and "systematic" injustices.

"I am a concerned citizen," he continues. "This concern forces me to speak today, more seriously than usual, but with a keen sense of my responsibility, at a time when our country is faced with difficult choices which will determine its future."

Cantona requires the signatures of 500 elected officials to participate in the presidential election this April. If he overcomes this first hurdle, he will face the centre-right incumbent, Nicolas Sarkozy, and the Socialist candidate François Hollande, who is currently the frontrunner.

However, Sarko and Hollande can breathe easy. As Liberation reveals in its editorial, Cantona's letter is part of a "sting" to draw attention to an issue close to the 45-year-old's heart, namely France's housing crisis.

Cantona and a coalition of charities, including the Abbé Pierre Foundation and Emmaus, want to tackle the problem of expensive housing by building more affordable homes and introducing rent controls to protect poor families.

They hope that Cantona's fake presidential run will put housing at the centre of the forthcoming election campaign. ·