Nicolas Sarkozy, French interior minister, will on Thursday call for a shake-up of immigration policy and propose tightening rules for granting visas to family members of immigrants living in France.

His comments, in an interview published in L’Express magazine, came after an opinion poll showed that Mr Sarkozy, the early favourite for the 2007 presidential elections, had won plaudits among voters for his tough stance over the recent rioting. Analysts said his tough position on immigration highlighted how Mr Sarkozy was identifying himself with policies normally associated with far right, anti-immigration parties, like the National Front, to enhance his populist image.