Sarkozy speech workers chosen for height

CALIGNY, France, Sept. 7 (UPI) -- Workers at a French plant said they were chosen to stand behind President Nicolas Sarkozy during a televised speech because they are shorter than he is.

The 20 Faurecia motor technology plant workers in Caligny who stood behind Sarkozy during his Thursday speech at the plant said they were called in to replace workers who usually man the section of the facility because the president's aides only wanted workers who did not reach his 5-foot, 5-inch height, Britain's The Daily Telegraph reported Monday.

French political weekly Marianne dubbed the event a product of "Sarko Studio," saying the president is attempting to boost his popularity with Hollywood techniques. Le Figaro, a newspaper usually supportive of Sarkozy, criticized the "casting" process of picking only shorter workers to stand behind the leader.