Eric Daniel Pierre Cantona the 45 year old French former international footballer and current film actor affectionately nicknamed “King Eric”, has declared he will be a candidate in the 2012 French presidential election. Cantona has written to the mayors throughout France to gain the 500 signatures required to campaign for election, with his primary aim to give social housing a priority in the campaign, with support to homeless charities. Cantona had previously in 2010 called for a social revolution with a run on the major retail banks, encouraging bank customers to withdraw their funds in protest at the global financial crisis. Cantona’s call was labeled irresponsible and misguided, and his call was not taken up after condemnation from politicians and bankers due to the potentially disastrous outcomes if pursued. In the letter to the French mayors, Cantona stated he is “a citizen very much aware of our times” and he needed to speak out “at a time when our country faces difficult choices”.

 

Inspired by France 24 http://ow.ly/8BOYG image source Georges Biard http://ow.ly/8BP53