‘Speak French, live like French’ Sarkozy demands migrants assimilate into Western society

The 61 year-old is standing for election next year and has declared he will be the "president of action" as the right-wing soars in popularity in the country in the face of recent attacks.

Mr Sarkozy reiterated his comments that he was not prepared to stand by and let France be bombarded by fear.

And he said he does "not accept" the deaths of the 238 victims of terror attacks across the country since January 2015.

In a speech designed to set out his mandate for next year's presidential elections, which are to take place during April and May, he has defended women's rights. 

Speaking at a public meeting in Franconville, Paris yesterday, Mr Sakozy demanded all immigrants "should live like the French."

He also hit out at "extremist political Islam" which he claimed was designed only to "provoke the Republic”.

He added: "I will not accept the medieval behaviour that wants men to swim in swimsuits while the women are locked up."

The UMP party leader went on to say he would lead a "merciless war" on Islamist terrorism citing the victims of the Nice and Paris tragedies. 

Migrants and refugees arrive in the firsst international standard refugee camp
Refugee children pleay on the grounds of the new arrival centre for asylum seekers in Saxony-Anhalt

Migrants move into new homes as Jungle migrant camp in Calais in demolished
     
Many shanty homes and shops are now scuttled or burned on the site. Police oversee the clearance work.      
 
Migrants keep warm around a brasero as agents dismantle shacks on March 1, 2016 in the Jungle migrant camp in the French northern port city of Calais
Police oversee the clearance work at the Jungle 

Anti-riot policemen face migrants and refugees on February 29, 2016, during the dismantling of half of the Jungle migrant camp in the French northern port city of Calais

A migrant writes inside the camp 
Migrants try to extinguish a fire during the dismantling of half of the Jungle migrant camp in the French northern port city of Calais, on February 29, 2016
Toilets on the site at the Jungle 

Shacks are burning during the dismantling of half of the Jungle migrant camp in the French northern port city of Calais, on February 29, 2016
Migrants sit in the ruins of the Jungle camp 

A migrant stands in front of shacks burning during the dismantling of half of the Jungle migrant camp in the French northern port city of Calais, on 

He continued: "If you want to become French, you speak French, you live like the French. 

"We will no longer settle for integration that does not work, we will require assimilation.

"Once you become French, your ancestors are the Gauls. 'I love France, I learned the history of France, I see myself as French.'

"If we say we can no longer continue with immigration, then it is racist. It's unbearable

"I want to be the voice of the silent majority."