Sarkozy makes populist push for re-election President Nicolas Sarkozy of France demanded tougher European border controls and new rules to favour European companies bidding for public contracts as he made a populist push on Sunday to inject new momentum into his campaign for re-election. Mr Sarkozy appealed passionately to tens of thousands of cheering supporters packed into a vast exhibition hall outside Paris to help overturn the opinion poll lead held over him for months by François Hollande, the opposition Socialist challenger. Help me. We have two months, two months to turn everything around, two months for the truth to triumph," he said, to chants of "Sarko, President!" The election takes place over two rounds on April 22 and May 6. Mr Sarkozy insisted he was reaching out to "all the people of France" in a speech peppered with references to issues such as immigration, crime and Islamic practices. But he put Europe at the centre of his talk, saying he had "given everything" to steer France through the crises of the past four years, claiming credit for "saving the euro and saving Europe." He added, however, that Europe now had to change, saying it must adopt a much tougher approach to social and economic threats, including being prepared to take more protectionist actions. I say no to a Europe that opens up its markets when others do not. Such behaviour does not mean accepting free trade. It means accepting that Europe becomes a sieve," he said. Mr Sarkozy called for urgent reform of the Schengen agreement, which allows freedom of movement between all 27 European Union countries apart from Britain and Ireland. France and other EU countries complained bitterly last year that immigrants fleeing violence in Tunisia were able to flow uncontrolled from Italy into other countries. Calling for governments to control the issue - not the "technocrats and tribunals" of the European Commission - Mr Sarkozy said he would pull France out of the Schengen system unless a new agreement had been forged within 12 months. Likewise, he said France would unilaterally impose a law similar to the "Buy American Act" in the US, which requires government contracts to favour American products, if the EU did not adopt a similar "Buy European Act." "I don't see why Europe prohibits what has been done by America, the most liberal country in the world," he said. The two new policy proposals were greeted enthusiastically by his flag-waving supporters, said by his centre-right UMP party to number 60,000. They were brought in from all over the country, including on chartered high-speed trains and some 700 buses. It was by far the biggest rally for any candidate during the campaign so far. Mr Sarkozy's camp intended the meeting to mark a turning point in the campaign. The hope is that Mr Sarkozy can still overtake Mr Hollande and win the first round, a position no poll has yet given him, but which would provide a big boost ahead of the decisive second ballot which polls currently show Mr Hollande winning comfortably. A succession of government ministers, led by François Fillon, the prime minister, and other major public figures lined up ahead of the president's appearance to emphasise his leadership qualities, contrasting his stature with the lack of government experience of Mr Hollande. They included Bernadette Chirac, wife of Jacques Chirac, the former centre-right president and Mr Sarkozy's predecessor who is now unwell. The two men headed rival UMP factions, but Mrs Chirac said she was a "fervent activist" for Mr Sarkozy. The actor Gerard Depardieu also addressed the rally, referring to the virulent criticism that Mr Sarkozy attracts: "I hear nothing but bad about this man who does nothing but good." The biggest cheer of the afternoon came when Mr Sarkozy defended what he called the values of the French republic against multiculturalism, in a blatant attack on the perceived influence of Muslim practices on secular society - a campaign theme of Marine Le Pen, of the far-right National Front. We banned the burka. Men and women in France share the same swimming pool timetable, have the same doctors and the children share the same school canteen menus," Mr Sarkozy declared to roars from the crowd. Louis, a 50-year-old artisan from Paris attending the rally, who declined to give his full name, said he was planning to vote for Mr Sarkozy, although he was a sympathiser of Ms Le Pen. "Even though I like a lot about the National Front, Sarkozy has a better chance of beating the Socialists," he said.