French President Nicolas Sarkozy has expressed his regret for the incident on Saturday in which he insulted a visitor to an agricultural fair who refused to shake his hand. Speaking to the newspaper Le Parisien, Mr Sarkozy said that he should have just ignored the man.
In the interview, Mr Sarkozy noted that it can be difficult even for a president not to react to insults. "Presidents are not doormats," he said.
A video clip of the incident, posted on the newspaper's website and several other sites, has now been seen by at least three million viewers.
The leader of the French socialists, François Hollande, called the incident unworthy of a president and said Mr Sarkozy should improve his behaviour.
Source: Radio Netherlands
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