PARIS – Zimbabwe's Robert Mugabe "must go," according to France's president.
Nicolas Sarkozy's assessment of Zimbabwe's president has taken a very tough tone. He said of Mugabe: "You have taken your people hostage."
Sarkozy holds the rotating presidency of the EU. He spoke Monday in a speech marking the 60th anniversary of Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
European Union foreign ministers were preparing to tighten sanctions against Zimbabwe's government in a fresh bid to force Mugabe to step down.
The EU wants a power-sharing deal with opposition parties that won a small majority in March parliamentary elections.
Zimbabwe is fighting a cholera epidemic amid a collapsed economy and health care system.
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