Sarkozy defends luxury yacht cruise

By Kerstin Gehmlich

PARIS (Reuters) - France's president-elect Nicolas Sarkozy rejected opposition criticism of his post-election holiday on a luxury yacht on Wednesday.

The opposition Socialists and newspaper cartoonists took aim at Sarkozy's holiday aboard a 70-metre yacht owned by media billionaire Vincent Bollore. Le Monde showed Sarkozy's wife reclining on a deck chair, commanding: "Silence, poor people!"

Sarkozy, who assumes office next week, was unapologetic and said the break following his victory in Sunday's election came after a long campaign and cost taxpayers nothing.

"I have no intention of hiding. I have no intention of lying. I have no intention of apologising," he told reporters on the Mediterranean island of Malta after a jog in the countryside. "I don't see the controversy."

Sarkozy's allies were quick to dismiss the headlines and outgoing President Jacques Chirac said he had "every confidence" in the new head of state, with whom he has had difficult relations in the past.

After three nights of violent confrontations between police and young demonstrators in several French cities, students in Paris prepared to occupy a lecture theatre overnight to protest against Sarkozy's plans for France's universities.

The protests, while isolated, awakened memories of the rioting that hit many of France's poor suburbs in 2005 and the violent demonstrations that greeted the government's plans to introduce a new youth jobs contract last year.

POLITICALLY MOTIVATED