Nicolas Sarkozy calls burkinis a provocation that supports radical Islam

The former French president, Nicolas Sarkozy, has branded the full-body 'burkini' swimsuits worn by some Muslim women a “provocation” that supports radicalised Islam.

The 61-year-old made the comments during his first television interview since announcing that he will run for president in 2017.

Commenting on the burkini debate after several coastal towns in the south east and north of the country, including Nice and Le Touquet,banned the body-covering swimwear, the presidential hopeful told French channel TF1: "We don't cover women behind fabric."

He added: "The burkini affair, everyone sees it's a provocation, a provocation at the service of a politicised and radicalised Islam. The best way to ease tensions is to ban all exterior signs of belonging to a religion.

"France's Muslims are just like any other French people, but they have to understand that it's a French way of life, the French language, France's history, the land of France, it's assimilation, you don't come with differences that you impose on the majority, you come to a country which has a history, a way of life and which intends to keep it."

The French resort town of Cannes banned 'burkini' full-body beach cover-ups earlier this month due to the risk to public order.

At least ten Muslim women have already been stopped by police and four fined 38 euros each for wearing the swimsuits.

France has already banned women from wearing veils covering their face in public, but this does not rule out the burkini.