Nicolas Sarkozy
President of France
Incumbent
Assumed office  16 May 2007
Prime Minister	François Fillon
Preceded by	Jacques Chirac
French Co-Prince of Andorra
Incumbent
Assumed office  16 May 2007 Serving with Joan Enric Vives Sicília
Governor General	Philippe Massoni
Prime Minister	Albert Pintat
Preceded by	Jacques Chirac
Minister of the Interior
In office 31 May 2005 – 26 March 2007
Prime Minister	Dominique de Villepin
Preceded by	Dominique de Villepin
Succeeded by	François Baroin
In office 7 May 2002 – 31 March 2004
Prime Minister	Jean-Pierre Raffarin
Preceded by	Daniel Vaillant
Succeeded by	Dominique de Villepin
Minister of State of Economy, Finance and Industry
In office 31 March 2004 – 28 November 2004
Prime Minister	Jean-Pierre Raffarin
Preceded by	Francis Mer
Succeeded by	Hervé Gaymard
Minister of the Budget
In office 29 March 1993 – 10 May 1995
Prime Minister	Edouard Balladur
Preceded by	Michel Charasse
Succeeded by	None
Mayor of Neuilly-sur-Seine
In office 1983 – 2002
Preceded by	Achille Peretti
Succeeded by	Louis-Charles Bary
Born	28 January 1955 (1955-01-28) (age 53) Paris, France
Political party	RR (?–2002) UMP (2002–)
Spouse	Marie-Dominique Culioli (div. The President of the French Republic (Président de la République française colloquially referred to in English as the President of France, is France 's elected Events 1204 - Baldwin IX Count of Flanders is crowned as the first Emperor of the Latin Empire. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. François Fillon (fʁɑ̃swa fijɔ̃ born 4 March 1954 in Le Mans, Sarthe) is the current Prime Minister of France, having been appointed to that This is a list of Co-Princes of Andorra. The Principality of Andorra, in the Pyrenees Mountains on the French – Spanish border Events 1204 - Baldwin IX Count of Flanders is crowned as the first Emperor of the Latin Empire. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Joan Enric Vives i Sicília (born July 24, 1949 in Barcelona, Spain) is the current Bishop of Urgell, a Roman Catholic Philippe Massoni is a French Prefect. He has been the French co-prince's representative to Andorra since July 26, 2002 Albert Pintat Santolària (born 23 June 1943) is the head of government of Andorra. The Minister of the Interior (full title Ministre de l’Intérieur et de l’Aménagement du Territoire) in France is one of the most important governmental Events 1279 BC - Rameses II (The Great (19th dynasty becomes pharaoh of Ancient Egypt. Year 2005 ( MMV) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Events 1026 - Pope John XIX crowns Conrad II as Holy Roman Emperor. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Dominique de Villepin (born Dominique Marie François René Galouzeau de Villepin (dɔminik də vilpɛ̃ &mdash) on 14 November 1953 in Rabat, Morocco Dominique de Villepin (born Dominique Marie François René Galouzeau de Villepin (dɔminik də vilpɛ̃ &mdash) on 14 November 1953 in Rabat, Morocco François Baroin (born June 21, 1965) is a French politician and a long-time ally of Jacques Chirac. Events 558 - In Constantinople, the dome of the Hagia Sophia collapses See also 2002 (disambiguation Year 2002 ( MMII) was a Common year starting on Tuesday of the Gregorian calendar. Events 307 - After divorcing his wife Minervina, Constantine marries Fausta, the daughter of the retired Roman Emperor "MMIV" redirects here For the Modest Mouse album see " Baron von Bullshit Rides Again " Jean-Pierre Raffarin (born 3 August 1948 is a French conservative Politician and senator for Vienne. Daniel Vaillant (born July 19, 1949) is a French Socialist politician Dominique de Villepin (born Dominique Marie François René Galouzeau de Villepin (dɔminik də vilpɛ̃ &mdash) on 14 November 1953 in Rabat, Morocco The Minister for the Economy Industry and Employment ( ministre de l'Économie de l'Industrie et de l'Emploi) or Minister of Finance for short is one of the Events 307 - After divorcing his wife Minervina, Constantine marries Fausta, the daughter of the retired Roman Emperor "MMIV" redirects here For the Modest Mouse album see " Baron von Bullshit Rides Again " For the town in Argentina, see 28 de Noviembre. Events "MMIV" redirects here For the Modest Mouse album see " Baron von Bullshit Rides Again " Jean-Pierre Raffarin (born 3 August 1948 is a French conservative Politician and senator for Vienne. Francis Mer (may 25th 1939 in Pau) is a French Businessman, Industrialist and Politician. Hervé Gaymard (born May 31 1960 in Bourg-Saint-Maurice, Savoie) is a French politician and a member of UMP conservative Events 1461 - Wars of the Roses: Battle of Towton - Edward of York defeats Queen Margaret to become King Year 1993 ( MCMXCIII) was a Common year starting on Friday (link will display full 1993 Gregorian calendar) Events 1291 - Scottish Nobles recognize the authority of Edward I of England. Year 1995 ( MCMXCV) was a Common year starting on Sunday. Events of 1995 Édouard Balladur (born 2 May 1929 is a French right-wing Politician. Neuilly-sur-Seine (nœji syʀ sɛn in French) is a commune bordering the western limit of the city of Paris, France. Year 1983 ( MCMLXXXIII) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link displays the 1983 Gregorian calendar) See also 2002 (disambiguation Year 2002 ( MMII) was a Common year starting on Tuesday of the Gregorian calendar. Achille Peretti ( 13 June 1911 &ndash 14 April 1983) was a French Politician. Events 1077 - Walk to Canossa: The Excommunication of Henry IV Holy Roman Emperor is lifted Year 1955 ( MCMLV) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link displays the 1955 Gregorian calendar) Paris (ˈpærɨs in English; in French) is the Capital of France and the country's largest city This article is about the country For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic France topics. The Rally for the Republic ( French: Rassemblement pour la République, RPR) was a French Right-wing Political party ) Cécilia Ciganer-Albéniz (div. ) Carla Bruni
Children	Pierre (by Culioli) Jean (by Culioli) Louis (by Ciganer-Albéniz)
Residence	Élysée Palace
Alma mater	University of Paris X: Nanterre
Occupation	Lawyer
Religion	Roman Catholic
Website	sarkozy.fr

Nicolas Sarkozy (IPA: [nikɔla saʁkɔzi] — pronunciation (help·info) born Nicolas Paul Stéphane Sarközy de Nagy-Bocsa on January 28, 1955 in the 17th arrondissement of Paris) was elected President of France on 6 May 2007. Carla Bruni-Sarkozy (born Carla Gilberta Bruni Tedeschi, 23 December 1967 is an Italian-born naturalized French songwriter singer and former model. Jean Sarközy de Nagy-Bocsa (born 1 September 1986 at Neuilly-sur-Seine) is a regional councillor in the city of Neuilly-sur-Seine, France Alma mater is Latin for "nourishing mother" It was used in Ancient Rome as a title for the mother Goddess, and in Medieval The Paris X University Nanterre is a French university in the Academy of Versailles. A lawyer, according to Black's Law Dictionary, is "a person learned in the law as an attorney, Counsel or Solicitor; a person Sárköz might refer to Sárköz, a historical area in the Tolna comitate Livada Satu Mare (formerly Şarchiuz Events 1077 - Walk to Canossa: The Excommunication of Henry IV Holy Roman Emperor is lifted Year 1955 ( MCMLV) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link displays the 1955 Gregorian calendar) The 17th arrondissement of Paris is one of the 20 arrondissements (administrative districts of the capital city of France. The President of the French Republic (Président de la République française colloquially referred to in English as the President of France, is France 's elected Events 1527 - Spanish and German troops sack Rome; some consider this the end of the Renaissance. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. He thereby became an ex officio Co-Prince of Andorra. C D E This is a list of Co-Princes of Andorra. The Principality of Andorra, in the Pyrenees Mountains on the French – Spanish border

In the presidential election, he defeated the Socialist Party contender Ségolène Royal. The Socialist Party ( Parti Socialiste, PS is the largest left-wing political party in France. Marie-Ségolène Royal (born 22 September 1953 in Dakar, Senegal, then a French colony known as, (seɡɔlɛn ʁwajal is a Before his presidency, he was leader of the Union for a Popular Movement (UMP) centre-right party. Under Jacques Chirac's presidency, he served as Minister of the Interior in Jean-Pierre Raffarin's (UMP) first two governments (from May 2002 to March 2004), then was appointed Minister of Finances in Raffarin's last government (March 2004 May 2005), and again Minister of the Interior in Dominique de Villepin's government (2005-2007). At age 69 Jacques Chirac faced his fourth campaign for the French Presidency in 2002 The Minister of the Interior (full title Ministre de l’Intérieur et de l’Aménagement du Territoire) in France is one of the most important governmental Jean-Pierre Raffarin (born 3 August 1948 is a French conservative Politician and senator for Vienne. The Minister for the Economy Industry and Employment ( ministre de l'Économie de l'Industrie et de l'Emploi) or Minister of Finance for short is one of the Dominique de Villepin (born Dominique Marie François René Galouzeau de Villepin (dɔminik də vilpɛ̃ &mdash) on 14 November 1953 in Rabat, Morocco

Sarkozy was also president of the General council of the Hauts-de-Seine department from 2004 to 2007 and mayor of Neuilly-sur-Seine, one of the wealthiest communes of France from 1983 to 2002. In the context of the political and geographic organization of France and many of its former colonies a department (département depaʁtǝmɑ̃ is an Administrative division Hauts-de-Seine (92 (literally " Seine Heights" is a département in France. A mayor (from the Latin māior, meaning "greater" is a modern title used in many countries for the highest ranking officer in a municipal government Neuilly-sur-Seine (nœji syʀ sɛn in French) is a commune bordering the western limit of the city of Paris, France. The commune is the lowest level of administrative division in the French Republic. He was also Minister of the Budget in Édouard Balladur (RPR, predecessor of the UMP)'s government during François Mitterrand's last term. The Minister for the Economy Industry and Employment ( ministre de l'Économie de l'Industrie et de l'Emploi) or Minister of Finance for short is one of the Édouard Balladur (born 2 May 1929 is a French right-wing Politician. The Rally for the Republic ( French: Rassemblement pour la République, RPR) was a French Right-wing Political party François Maurice Adrien Marie Mitterrand ( 26 October 1916 8 January 1996 served as President of France from 1981 to 1995 elected as representative of the Socialist

Sarkozy is known for his strong stance on law and order issues^[1] and his desire to revitalise the French economy. In Politics, law and order refers to a political platform which supports a strict Criminal justice system especially in relation to Violent crime This article addresses the current economic situation of France ^[2] In foreign affairs, he has promised closer cooperation with the United States^[3] and a strengthening of the entente cordiale. A charter member of the United Nations, France holds one of the permanent seats in the Security Council and is a member of most of its specialized and related agencies The United States of America —commonly referred to as the Flag of the United Kingdomsvg|right|70px]] The Entente cordiale is a series of agreements signed on 8 April 1904 between the United Kingdom ^[4] His nickname "Sarko" is used by both supporters and opponents.

Contents 1 Personal life 1.1 Family background 1.2 Early life 1.3 Education 1.4 Marriages, divorces and separations 1.4.1 Marie-Dominique Culioli 1.4.2 Cécilia Ciganer-Albéniz 1.4.3 Carla Bruni 1.5 Personal wealth 2 Member of National Assembly 2.1 In government 2.2 First term as Minister of the Interior 2.3 Minister of Finance 2.4 Villepin government 2.5 Second term as Minister of the Interior 2.6 Action as UMP's leader 3 Candidacy for President 4 Presidency (2007–present) 4.1 Main members of Sarkozy’s staff 5 Image of Sarkozy 6 Controversies 6.1 Kärcher remark 6.2 Separation of powers 6.3 Religion and state 6.4 War in Iraq 6.5 View on genetic predispositions 6.6 African speech 6.7 Agricultural Show incident 7 Awards and honours 7.1 French honours 7.2 Other countries 8 Notes 9 Bibliography 10 External links 10.1 Official websites 10.2 Press 10.3 Related contents

Personal life

Family background

Nicolas Sarkozy is the son of a Hungarian immigrant father, Pál Sárközy de Nagy-Bócsa^[5] (Hungarian: nagybócsai Sárközy Pál; some sources spell it Nagy-Bócsay Sárközy Pál; Hungarian pronunciation (help·info)) and a mother of French Catholic and Greek Jewish^[6][7] descent, Andrée Mallah. Hungarians (or Magyars, magyarok are an Ethnic group primarily associated with Hungary. Hungarian ( magyar nyelv) is a Uralic language (more specifically a Ugric language) unrelated to most other languages in Europe. Legal residents and citizens To be French according to the first article of the Constitution is to be a citizen of France regardless of one's origin race or religion ( As a Christian Ecclesiastical term Catholic —from the Greek adjective, meaning "general" or "universal"—is described The Greeks ( Greek: Έλληνες) are a Nation and Ethnic group native to Greece, Cyprus and neighbouring regions Sephardi Jews ( Hebrew: ספרדי, Standard Səfardi Tiberian Səp̄arədî; plural His Greek-born grandfather, Benico Mallah (former Aaron Mallah), was a physician from Thessaloniki. Most of Greece was part of the Ottoman Empire from the 14th century until its declaration of independence in 1821. Thessaloniki (Θεσσαλονίκη), Thessalonica, or Salonica is the second-largest city in Greece and the capital of Macedonia Benico, who left for France to become a doctor, was the son of Mordechai Mallah, one of the eight sons of Aaron Mallah, founder of the Rabbinical School of Thessaloniki. ^[7][8]

Pál Sárközy was born in 1928 in Budapest into a family belonging to the lower nobility of Hungary. Budapest ( also /ˈbʊ-/) is the capital city of Hungary. As the largest city of Hungary it serves as the country's principal Political, The family possessed lands and a small castle in the village of Alattyán, near Szolnok, 92 km (57 miles) east of Budapest. Alattyán is a Village in Jász-Nagykun-Szolnok county in the Northern Great Plain Region of central Hungary. Szolnok (approximate pronunciation Solnok is the capital of the county of Jász-Nagykun-Szolnok in central Hungary. [1] Pál Sárközy's father and grandfather held elective offices in the town of Szolnok. Although the Sárközy de Nagy-Bócsa (nagybócsai Sárközy) family was Protestant, Pál Sárközy's mother, Katalin Tóth de Csáford (Hungarian: csáfordi Tóth Katalin), grandmother of Nicolas Sarkozy, was from a Catholic aristocratic family. Protestantism refers to the forms of Christian faith and practice that originated in the 16th century Protestant Reformation. Hungarian ( magyar nyelv) is a Uralic language (more specifically a Ugric language) unrelated to most other languages in Europe.

As the Red Army entered Hungary in 1944, the Sárközy family fled to Germany. The Red Army ( Russian: Рабоче-Крестьянская Красная Армия R aboche- K rest'yanskaya K rasnaya A rmiya Hungary during World War II was a generally opportunistic and generally unwilling member of the Axis. ^[9] They returned in 1945 but all their possessions had been seized. Pál Sárközy's father died soon afterwards and his mother, fearing that he would be drafted into the Hungarian People's Army or sent to Siberia, urged him to leave the country and promised she would eventually follow him and meet him in Paris. Siberia (Сиби́рь Sibir) is the name given to the vast region constituting almost all of Northern Asia and for the most part currently serving Pál Sárközy managed to flee to Austria and then Germany while his mother reported to authorities that he had drowned in Lake Balaton. Austria (Österreich ( officially the Republic of Austria (Republik Österreich Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany ( ˈbʊndəsʁepuˌbliːk ˈdɔʏtʃlant is a Country in Central Europe. Lake Balaton, located in Hungary, is the largest lake in Central Europe, and one of the foremost regional tourist destinations Eventually, he arrived in Baden Baden, near the French border, where the headquarters of the French Army in Germany were located, and there he met a recruiter for the French Foreign Legion. Baden-Baden is a town in Baden-Württemberg, Germany. It is located on the western foothills of the Black Forest, on the banks of the Oos River The French Army, officially the Armée de Terre (Land Army is the land-based component of the French Armed Forces and its largest He signed up for five years, and was sent for training to Sidi Bel Abbes, in French Algeria, where the French Foreign Legion's headquarters were located. Sidi Bel Abbès ( Arabic: سيدي بلعباس) is a capital (2005 pop French rule of Algeria lasted from 1830 to 1962 under a variety of governmental systems He was due to be sent to Indochina at the end of training, but the doctor who checked him before departure, who happened to also be Hungarian, sympathised with him and gave him a medical discharge to save him from possible death at the hands of the Vietminh. First French interventions See also France-Vietnam relations France-Vietnam relations started as early as the 17th century with the mission of the Jesuit The Việt Minh (abbreviated from Việt Nam Ðộc Lập Ðồng Minh Hội, English "League for the Independence of Vietnam" was a National liberation He returned to civilian life in Marseille in 1948 and, although he asked for French citizenship only in the 1970s (his legal status was that of a stateless person until then), he nonetheless gallicised his Hungarian name into "Paul Sarközy de Nagy-Bocsa". Marseille, ( English alt Marseilles mɑrˈseɪ — French: maʁsɛj locally — Provençal Occitan: Marselha maʀˈsijɔ A stateless person is someone with no Citizenship or Nationality. Francization or Gallicization (and informally Frenchification) is a process of Cultural assimilation that gives a French character to a He met Andrée Mallah, Nicolas Sarkozy's mother (known as Dadu^[10]), in 1949.

Andrée Mallah, then a law student, was the daughter of Benedict Mallah, a wealthy urologist and STD specialist with a well-established reputation in the mainly bourgeois 17th arrondissement of Paris. Urology is the branch of Surgery that focuses on the Urinary tracts of males and females and on the reproductive system of males A sexually transmitted disease ( STD) or venereal disease ( VD) is an illness that has a significant probability of transmission between Humans The 17th arrondissement of Paris is one of the 20 arrondissements (administrative districts of the capital city of France. Benedict Mallah, originally called Aaron Mallah and nicknamed Benico, was born in 1890 in the Sephardic Jewish community of Salonica (Thessaloniki), Ottoman Empire. Thessaloniki (Θεσσαλονίκη), Thessalonica, or Salonica is the second-largest city in Greece and the capital of Macedonia Resettled in Provence, southern France, the family had moved to Salonica a century later. Benico Mallah, the son of a jeweller, left Salonica, then part of the Ottoman Empire, with his mother in 1904 at the age of 14 to attend the prestigious Lycée Lakanal boarding school of Sceaux, in the southern suburbs of Paris. Lycée Lakanal is a prestigious public university-preparatory high school located in France, particularly Sceaux. A boarding school is a School where some or all pupils not only study but also live during term time with their fellow students and possibly teachers Sceaux is a commune in the southern suburbs of Paris, France. Paris (ˈpærɨs in English; in French) is the Capital of France and the country's largest city He studied medicine after his baccalaureate and decided to stay in France and become a French citizen. The baccalauréat (bakaloʁeˈa often known in France colloquially as le bac or le bachôt, is an academic qualification which A doctor in the French Army during World War I, he met a recent war widow, Adèle Bouvier (1891–1956), from a bourgeois family of Lyon, whom he married in 1917. The French Army, officially the Armée de Terre (Land Army is the land-based component of the French Armed Forces and its largest World War I (abbreviated WWI; also known as the First World War, the Great War, and the War to End All ||-||} Lyon, also known as Lyons in English is a city in east-central France. Adèle Bouvier, Nicolas Sarkozy's grandmother, was a Catholic like the majority of French people. Mallah, for whom religion had reportedly never been a central issue, converted to Catholicism upon marrying Adèle Bouvier, which had been requested by Adèle's parents, and changed his name to Benedict. Although Benedict Mallah converted to Catholicism, he and his family nonetheless had to flee Paris and take refuge in a small farm in Corrèze during World War II to avoid being arrested and delivered to the Germans. Corrèze ( Occitan: Corresa) is a department in south central France, named after the Corrèze River. World War II, or the Second World War, (often abbreviated WWII) was a global military conflict which involved a majority of the world's nations, including During the Holocaust, many of the Mallahs who stayed in Salonica or moved to France were deported to concentration and extermination camps. The Holocaust (from the Greek el ''ὁλόκαυστον'' (el-Latn holókauston holos, "completely" and kaustos, "burnt" also known as In total, 57 family members were murdered by the Nazis. Nazism, which was a short name for National Socialism (Nationalsozialismus refers primarily to the Ideology and practices of the National Socialist German ^[8]

Paul Sarkozy and Andrée Mallah settled in the 17th arrondissement of Paris and had three sons: Guillaume, born in 1951, who is an entrepreneur in the textile industry, Nicolas, born in 1955 and François, born in 1957 (an MBA and manager of a healthcare consultancy company [2]). Guillaume Georges Didier Sarközy de Nagy-Bocsa (born June 18, 1951, in Paris, 17th arrondissement) simply known as Guillaume Sarkozy In 1959 Paul Sarkozy left his wife and his three children. He later remarried twice and had two more children with his second wife.

Olivier Sarkozy, his half-brother, was chosen by the Carlyle Group, in March 2008, as co-head and managing director of its recently launched global financial services division. Olivier Sarkozy is a French - American businessman and the half-brother of French President Nicolas Sarkozy. The Carlyle Group is a global Private equity investment firm based in Washington D ^[11]

Early life

During Sarkozy's childhood, his father refused to give his former wife's family any financial help, even though he had founded his own advertising agency and had become wealthy. The family lived in a small mansion owned by Sarkozy's grandfather, Benedict Mallah, in the 17th Arrondissement. The 17th arrondissement of Paris is one of the 20 arrondissements (administrative districts of the capital city of France. The family later moved to Neuilly-sur-Seine, one of the wealthiest communes of the Île-de-France région immediately west of the 17th Arrondissement just outside of Paris. Neuilly-sur-Seine (nœji syʀ sɛn in French) is a commune bordering the western limit of the city of Paris, France. The commune is the lowest level of administrative division in the French Republic. Île-de-France ( pronounced /il d̪ə fʁɑ̃s/ literally "Island of France" is one of the twenty-six administrative regions of France. France is divided into 26 regions or régions (in French of which 21 are in continental Metropolitan France, one is the island of Corsica, According to Sarkozy, his staunchly Gaullist grandfather was more of an influence on him than his father, whom he rarely saw. Gaullism (Gaullisme is a French political ideology based on the thought and action of Charles de Gaulle. Sarkozy was, accordingly, raised in the Catholic faith of his household. Nicolas Sarkozy, like his brothers, is a baptised and professing Catholic. In Christianity, baptism ( Greek, "immersing" "performing Ablutions " is the ritual act with the use of water by which one is admitted Catholic is an Adjective derived from the Greek adjective '' / 'katholikos' meaning "whole" or "complete". Sarkozy also said recently that one of his role models was the late pope John Paul II. Pope

Sarkozy's father Paul did not teach him or his brothers Hungarian. Hungarian ( magyar nyelv) is a Uralic language (more specifically a Ugric language) unrelated to most other languages in Europe. There is no evidence suggesting that there was an attempt to educate the Sarkozy siblings about their paternal ethnic background.

Sarkozy has said that having been abandoned by his father shaped much of who he is today. As a young boy and teenager, he felt inferior in relation to his wealthy classmates. ^[12] He suffered from insecurities (his physical shortness of 1. 65 m, 5 feet 5 inches, or his family's lack of money, at least relatively to their 17th Arrondissement or Neuilly neighbours), and is said to have harboured a considerable amount of resentment against his absent father. “What made me who I am now is the sum of all the humiliations suffered during childhood”, he said later. ^[13]

Education

Sarkozy was enrolled in the Lycée Chaptal, a state-funded (public) middle and high school in Paris's 8th arrondissement, where he failed his sixième. Paris (ˈpærɨs in English; in French) is the Capital of France and the country's largest city The 8th arrondissement of Paris is one of the 20 arrondissements (administrative districts of the capital city of France. The French educational system is highly centralized organised and ramified His family then sent him to the Cours Saint-Louis de Monceau, a private Catholic school in the 17th arrondissement, where he was reportedly a mediocre pupil,^[14] but where he nonetheless obtained his baccalauréat in 1973. The 17th arrondissement of Paris is one of the 20 arrondissements (administrative districts of the capital city of France. The baccalauréat (bakaloʁeˈa often known in France colloquially as le bac or le bachôt, is an academic qualification which He enrolled at the Université Paris X Nanterre, where he graduated with a Master in Private law, and later with a DEA degree in Business law. The Paris X University Nanterre is a French university in the Academy of Versailles. Private law (Civil law is that part of a Legal system that involves relationships between individuals Paris X Nanterre had been the starting place for the May '68 student movement and was still a stronghold of leftist students. For other events in May 1968 see 1968. Described as a quiet student, Sarkozy soon joined the right-wing student organisation where he was very active. After graduating, he entered the Institut d'Études Politiques de Paris (1979-1981) but failed to graduate due to an insufficient command of the English language. ^[15] After passing the bar, he became a lawyer specializing in business law and family law. Commercial law (sometimes known as business law) is the body of Law which governs Business and commercial transactions Family denotes a group of People affiliated by consanguinity affinity or co-residence ^[16]

Marriages, divorces and separations

Marie-Dominique Culioli

Sakozy wed his first wife Marie-Dominique Culioli on 23 September 1982; her father was a pharmacist from Vico (a village north of Ajaccio, Corsica). Events 1122 - Concordat of Worms. 1459 - Battle of Blore Heath, the first major battle of the English Year 1982 ( MCMLXXXII) was a Common year starting on Friday (link displays the 1982 Gregorian calendar) Pharmacists are Health professionals who practice the art and science of Pharmacy. Vico is a commune of the Corse-du-Sud department of France on the island of Corsica. Ajaccio ( Adiacium Ajaccio; Aiacciu; Aiaccio) is a commune in France. Corsica (Corse Corsican and Italian: Corsica) is the fourth largest island in the Mediterranean Sea (after Sicily They had two sons, Pierre (born in 1985) and Jean (born in 1987). Jean Sarközy de Nagy-Bocsa (born 1 September 1986 at Neuilly-sur-Seine) is a regional councillor in the city of Neuilly-sur-Seine, France Sarkozy's marriage witness was the prominent right wing politician Charles Pasqua, later to become a political opponent. Charles Pasqua (born 18 April 1927, Grasse, Alpes-Maritimes) is a French Businessman and Gaullist Politician Sarkozy divorced Culioli in 1996, although they had already been separated for several years.

Cécilia Ciganer-Albéniz

As mayor of Neuilly-sur-Seine, Sarkozy met former fashion model and public relations executive Cécilia Ciganer-Albéniz (great-granddaughter of composer Isaac Albéniz and of a Russian father), when he officiated at her wedding^[17] to television host Jacques Martin. Neuilly-sur-Seine (nœji syʀ sɛn in French) is a commune bordering the western limit of the city of Paris, France. Isaac Manuel Francisco Albéniz i Pascual (iˈsak alˈβeniθ ( May 29, 1860 &ndash May 18, 1909) was a Spanish Pianist Jacques Martin ( June 22 1933 &ndash September 14 2007) was a French TV host and producer In 1988, she left her husband for Sarkozy, and divorced Martin one year later. Sarkozy married her in October 1996, with witnesses Martin Bouygues and Bernard Arnault. Bouygues ( is a French industrial group listed on Euronext Paris exchange and is a blue chip in the CAC 40 Stock market index Bernard Arnault (born 5 March 1949 in Roubaix) is a French businessman They have one son, Louis, born 23 April 1997. Events 215 BC - A temple is built on the Capitoline Hill dedicated to Venus Erycina to commemorate the Roman defeat at Year 1997 ( MCMXCVII) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link will display full 1997 Gregorian calendar

Between 2002 and 2005, the couple often appeared together on public occasions, with Cécilia Sarkozy acting as the chief aide for her husband. ^[18] On 25 May 2005, however, the Swiss newspaper Le Matin revealed that she had left Sarkozy for French-Moroccan national Richard Attias, head of Publicis in New York. Events 1085 - Alfonso VI of Castile takes Toledo Spain back from the Moors. Year 2005 ( MMV) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Switzerland (English pronunciation; Schweiz Swiss German: Schwyz or Schwiiz Suisse Svizzera Svizra officially the Swiss Confederation Richard Attias is a Moroccan -born events organizer He is best known as the husband of Cécilia Ciganer-Albéniz, ex-wife of French President Nicolas Sarkozy Publicis Groupe () is a French multinational Advertising and communications company ^[19] There were other accusations of a private nature in Le Matin, which led to Sarkozy suing the paper. In law a lawsuit is a civil action brought before a Court in which the party commencing the action the Plaintiff, seeks a legal or equitable remedy In the meantime, he was said to have had an affair with a journalist of Le Figaro, Anne Fulda. Le Figaro is one of the leading French morning daily Newspapers Its editorial line is conservative and has generally been supportive of Anne Fulda (born 1963 is a French journalist working for Le Figaro in the politics department since 1992 ^[20]

Sarkozy and Cécilia ultimately divorced in October 15, 2007^[21]

Carla Bruni

The French weekly magazine L'Express published photos of Sarkozy in Disneyland Paris with singer and ex-model Carla Bruni in December of 2007,^[22] sparking international attention. Events 533 - Byzantine General Belisarius makes his formal entry into Carthage, having conquered it from the Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. L'Express ( is France 's first weekly news Magazine. When founded in 1953 during the First Indochina War, it was modelled on the Disneyland Park ( Parc Disneyland in French) is a Theme park which is a part of Disneyland Resort Paris. Carla Bruni-Sarkozy (born Carla Gilberta Bruni Tedeschi, 23 December 1967 is an Italian-born naturalized French songwriter singer and former model. The couple were later spotted spending Christmas holidays together in Egypt. This article is about the country of Egypt For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Egypt topics. ^[23] Two months later, the mayor of the 8th district of Paris announced that he had officiated over their marriage. ^[24]

Personal wealth

Sarkozy declared to the Constitutional Council a net worth of €2 million, most of the assets being in the form of life insurance policies. The Constitutional Council ( Conseil Constitutionnel) was established by the Constitution of the Fifth Republic on 4 October 1958 Life insurance or life assurance is a contract between the policy owner and the insurer, where the insurer agrees to pay a sum of money upon the occurrence of the ^[25] As the French President, he earns a yearly salary of € 101,000 and is entitled to a mayoral pension because he was mayor of Neuilly-sur-Seine until 2002. Neuilly-sur-Seine (nœji syʀ sɛn in French) is a commune bordering the western limit of the city of Paris, France. He also receives a yearly council pension, because he has been previously a member of the council of the Hauts-de-Seine department. Hauts-de-Seine (92 (literally " Seine Heights" is a département in France. Sarkozy's salary will more than double to € 240,000 as a result of an amendment to the 2008 budget. ^[26]

Member of National Assembly

Sarkozy is recognised by the right and left as a skilled politician and striking orator. ^[27] His supporters within France emphasise his charisma, political innovation and willingness to "make a dramatic break" amid mounting disaffection against “politics as usual"; some see him as wanting to depart from traditional French social and economic principles in favour of American-style economic reform. The word charisma (origin from the Greek word χάρισμα (kharisma, "gift" or "divine favor" from kharizesthai, "to favor" Overall, he is considered more pro-U.S. and pro-Israeli than most French politicians. The United States of America —commonly referred to as the For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Israel topics.

Since November 2004, Sarkozy has been president of the Union pour un Mouvement Populaire (UMP), France's major right political party, and he was Minister of the Interior in the government of Dominique de Villepin, with the honorific title of Minister of State, making him effectively the number three man in the French State after President Jacques Chirac and the prime minister. The Minister of the Interior (full title Ministre de l’Intérieur et de l’Aménagement du Territoire) in France is one of the most important governmental For the government of parliamentary systems see Executive (government. Dominique de Villepin (born Dominique Marie François René Galouzeau de Villepin (dɔminik də vilpɛ̃ &mdash) on 14 November 1953 in Rabat, Morocco Minister of State is a title borne by politicians or officials in certain countries governed under a Parliamentary system. His ministerial responsibilities included law enforcement and working to co-ordinate relationships between the national and local governments, as well as Minister of Worship (in this guise he created the CFCM, French Council of Muslim Faith). The Minister of Worship (or "Minister of Public Worship" or "Minister of Ecclestiastical Affairs" is a cabinet member in the Government of France The French Council of the Muslim Faith ( French: Conseil Français du Culte Musulman, usually abbreviated to CFCM) is a non-profit group created on May Previously, he was a deputy to the French National Assembly. The French National Assembly. The other is the Senate ( “Sénat”) He was forced to resign this position in order to accept his ministerial appointment. He previously also held several ministerial posts, including Finance Minister. The finance minister is a Cabinet position in a Government. A minister of Finance (also called financial affairs the treasury the economy or economic

In government

Sarkozy's political career began at 22 when he became a city councillor in Neuilly-sur-Seine. Neuilly-sur-Seine (nœji syʀ sɛn in French) is a commune bordering the western limit of the city of Paris, France. A member of the Neo-Gaullist party RPR, he went on to be elected mayor of that town, after the death of the incumbent mayor Achille Peretti. In France, the Gaullist Party is usually used to refer to the largest party professing to be Gaullist. A mayor (from the Latin māior, meaning "greater" is a modern title used in many countries for the highest ranking officer in a municipal government Achille Peretti ( 13 June 1911 &ndash 14 April 1983) was a French Politician. Sarkozy had been close to Peretti, as his mother was Peretti's secretary. The senior RPR politician in the time, Charles Pasqua, wanted to become mayor, and asked Sarkozy to organise his campaign. Charles Pasqua (born 18 April 1927, Grasse, Alpes-Maritimes) is a French Businessman and Gaullist Politician Instead Sarkozy profited from a short illness of Pasqua to propel himself into the office of mayor. ^[28] He was the youngest ever mayor of any town in France with a population of over 50,000. He served from 1983 to 2002. In 1988, he became a deputy in the National Assembly. The French National Assembly. The other is the Senate ( “Sénat”)

In 1993, Sarkozy was in the national news for personally negotiating with the "Human Bomb", a man who had taken small children hostage in a kindergarten in Neuilly. ( German, literally means "children's garden" is a form of education for young children which serves as a transition from home to the commencement of more formal schooling Neuilly-sur-Seine (nœji syʀ sɛn in French) is a commune bordering the western limit of the city of Paris, France. ^[29] The “Human Bomb” was killed after two days of talks by policemen of the RAID, who entered the school stealthily while the attacker was resting. The National Police ( police nationale) formerly the Sûreté Nationale, is one of two National police forces and the main civil law enforcement Recherche Assistance Intervention Dissuasion (Research Assistance Intervention Deterrence is the Counter-terrorist unit of the French National Police

From 1993 to 1995, he was Minister for the Budget and spokesman for the executive in the cabinet of Prime Minister Édouard Balladur. Budget (from French bougette, purse generally refers to a list of all planned expenses and revenues The Prime Minister of France ( Premier ministre français) in Fifth Republic is the functional Head of the government and Council of Ministers Édouard Balladur (born 2 May 1929 is a French right-wing Politician. Throughout most of his early career, Sarkozy had been seen as a protégé of Jacques Chirac. During his tenure, he increased France's public debt more than any other French Budget Minister except his predecessor, by the equivalent of €200 billion ($260 billion) (FY 1994-1996). The first two budgets he submitted to the parliament (budgets for FY1994 and FY1995) assumed a yearly budget deficit equivalent to 6% of GDP. ^[30] According to the Maastricht Treaty, the French yearly budget deficit may not be bigger than 3% of France's GDP. The Maastricht Treaty (formally the Treaty on European Union, TEU) was signed on 7 February 1992 in Maastricht, the Netherlands after final

In 1995, he spurned Chirac and backed Balladur for President of France. The President of the French Republic (Président de la République française colloquially referred to in English as the President of France, is France 's elected After Chirac won the election, Sarkozy lost his position as Minister for the Budget and found himself outside the circles of power.

However, he came back after the right-wing defeat at the 1997 parliamentary election, as number 2 in the RPR. French legislative election took place in May 25 and June 1 1997 to elect the 11th National Assembly of the Fifth Republic. When the party leader Philippe Séguin resigned, in 1999, he took the leadership of the Neo-Gaullist party. Philippe Séguin OQ (born April 21, 1943) is a former French Politician, and is now first president of France's Cour But it obtained its worst result at the 1999 European Parliament election, winning 12. The 1999 European Parliamentary Election was a European election for all 626 members of the European Parliament held across the 15 European Union 7% of the votes, less than the dissident Rally for France of Charles Pasqua. The Rally for France ( French: Rassemblement pour la France (RPF also briefly known in 2003 as Rally for France and European Independence or Rassemblement Sarkozy lost the RPR leadership.

In 2002, however, after his re-election as President of the French Republic (see French presidential election, 2002), Chirac appointed Sarkozy as French Minister of the Interior in the cabinet of Prime Minister Jean-Pierre Raffarin, despite Sarkozy's support of Edouard Balladur for French President in 1995. For the town in Argentina, see 28 de Noviembre. Events "MMIV" redirects here For the Modest Mouse album see " Baron von Bullshit Rides Again " The 2002 French presidential election consisted of a first round election on 21 April 2002 and a runoff election between the top two candidates ( Jacques Chirac and Jean-Pierre Raffarin (born 3 August 1948 is a French conservative Politician and senator for Vienne. ^[31] Following Jacques Chirac's 14 July keynote speech on road safety Sarkozy as interior minister pushed through new legislation leading to the mass purchase of speed cameras and a campaign to increase the awareness of dangers on the roads. Events 1223 - Louis VIII becomes King of France upon the death of his father Philip II of France.

In the cabinet reshuffle of 31 March 2004, Sarkozy became Finance Minister. Events 307 - After divorcing his wife Minervina, Constantine marries Fausta, the daughter of the retired Roman Emperor "MMIV" redirects here For the Modest Mouse album see " Baron von Bullshit Rides Again " Tensions continued to build between Sarkozy and Chirac and within the UMP party, as Sarkozy's intentions of becoming head of the party after the resignation of Alain Juppé became clear. Alain Marie Juppé (born 15 August 1945 is a French right-wing politician who served as Prime Minister of France from 1995 to 1997 under President Jacques Chirac It became increasingly apparent that Sarkozy would go on to seek the presidency in 2007; in an often-repeated comment made on television channel France 2, when asked by a journalist whether he thought about the presidential election when he shaved in the morning, Sarkozy commented, "not just when I shave". France 2 is the largest French public Television network It is part of the France Télévisions group along with France 3, France 5 ^[32]

In party elections of November 2004, Sarkozy became leader of the UMP with 85% of the vote. In accordance with an agreement with Chirac, he resigned as Finance Minister. Sarkozy's ascent was marked by the division of UMP between sarkozystes, such as Sarkozy's "first lieutenant", Brice Hortefeux, and Chirac loyalists, such as Jean-Louis Debré. Brice Hortefeux (born 11 May 1958 in Neuilly-sur-Seine, Hauts-de-Seine but was raised in Auvergne) is a French politician Jean-Louis Debré (born 30 September 1944) is a conservative French political figure

Sarkozy was made Chevalier de la Légion d'honneur (Knight of the Legion of Honour) by President Chirac in February 2005. He was re-elected on 13 March 2005 to the National Assembly (as required by the constitution,^[33] he had had to resign as a deputy when he had become minister in 2002). Events 1138 - Cardinal Gregorio Conti is elected Antipope as Victor IV, succeeding Anacletus II. Year 2005 ( MMV) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. The National Assembly is either a Legislature, or the Lower house of a Bicameral legislature in some countries

On 31 May 2005 the main French news radio station France Info reported a rumour that Sarkozy was to be reappointed Minister of the Interior in the government of Dominique de Villepin without resigning from the UMP leadership. Events 1279 BC - Rameses II (The Great (19th dynasty becomes pharaoh of Ancient Egypt. Year 2005 ( MMV) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. France Info ( Info being an abbreviation for the French Informations, or News is a French public news Radio station part of the Radio Dominique de Villepin (born Dominique Marie François René Galouzeau de Villepin (dɔminik də vilpɛ̃ &mdash) on 14 November 1953 in Rabat, Morocco This was confirmed on 2 June 2005, when the members of the government were officially announced. Events 455 - The Vandals enter Rome, and plunder the city for two weeks Year 2005 ( MMV) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar of the Gregorian calendar.

First term as Minister of the Interior

Towards the end of his first term as Minister of the Interior, in 2004, Sarkozy was the most popular and also the most unpopular conservative politician in France, according to polls conducted at the beginning of 2004. An opinion poll is a survey of Public opinion from a particular sample. His “tough on crime” policies, which included increasing the police presence on the streets and introducing monthly crime performance ratings, were popular with many and unpopular for many others. In Politics, law and order refers to a political platform which supports a strict Criminal justice system especially in relation to Violent crime

Sarkozy has sought to ease the sometimes tense relationships between the general French population and the Muslim community. Statistics Estimates of the number of Muslims in France vary widely Unlike the Catholic Church in France with their official leaders or Protestants with their umbrella organisations, the French Muslim community had a lack of structure with no group that could legitimately deal with the French government on their behalf. Sarkozy felt that the foundation of such an organisation was desirable. He supported the foundation in May 2003 of the private non-profit Conseil français du culte musulman (“French Council of the Muslim Faith”), an organisation meant to be representative of French Muslims. The French Council of the Muslim Faith ( French: Conseil Français du Culte Musulman, usually abbreviated to CFCM) is a non-profit group created on May ^[34] In addition, Sarkozy has suggested amending the 1905 law on the separation of Church and State, mostly in order to be able to finance mosques and other Muslim institutions with public funds^[35] so that they are less reliant on money from outside of France. The 1905 French law on the Separation of the Churches and State ( French: Loi du 9 décembre 1905 concernant la séparation des Églises et de l'État) was passed by A "mosque" in English refers to all types of buildings dedicated for Islamic worship although there is a distinction in Arabic between the smaller privately owned mosque and the larger

Minister of Finance

During his short appointment as Minister of Finance, Sarkozy was responsible for introducing a number of policies. The Minister for the Economy Industry and Employment ( ministre de l'Économie de l'Industrie et de l'Emploi) or Minister of Finance for short is one of the The degree to which this reflected libéralisme (a hands-off approach to running the economy) or more traditional French state dirigisme (intervention) is controversial. He resigned the day following his election as president of the UMP.

• In September 2004, Sarkozy oversaw the reduction of the government ownership stake in France Télécom from 50. France Télécom () is the main Telecommunication company in France and one of the largest in the world 4% to 41%. ^[36]
• Sarkozy backed a partial nationalisation of the engineering company Alstom decided by his predecessor when the company was exposed to bankruptcy in 2003. Alstom ( is a large French multinational conglomerate which holds interests in the power generation and Transport markets ^[37]
• Sarkozy reached in June an agreement with the major retail chains in France to concertedly lower prices on household goods by an average of 2%; the success of this measure is disputed, with studies suggesting that the decrease was close to 1% in September. ^[38]
• Taxes: Sarkozy avoided taking a position on the ISF (solidarity tax on wealth). The solidarity tax on wealth (in French L'impôt de solidarité sur la fortune or ISF) is a French annual direct Wealth tax This is considered an ideological symbol by many on the Left and Right. In Politics, right-wing, the political right, and the Right are positions that uphold traditional values and/or authorities Some in the business world and on the Liberal Right, such as Alain Madelin, wanted it abolished. Alain Madelin (born March 26, 1946) is a French Politician and a former minister of that country For Sarkozy, that would have risked being categorised by the Left as a gift to the richest classes of society at a time of economic difficulties. ^[39]

Villepin government

Second term as Minister of the Interior

During his second term at the Ministry of the Interior, Sarkozy was initially more discreet about his ministerial activities: instead of focusing on his own topic of law and order, many of his declarations addressed wider issues, since he was expressing his opinions as head of the UMP party. Events 1213 - Albigensian Crusade: Simon de Montfort 5th Earl of Leicester, defeats Peter II of Aragon at the Year 2006 ( MMVI) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar.

Main article: Response to the 2005 civil unrest in France

However, the civil unrest in autumn 2005 put law enforcement in the spotlight again. The 2005 civil unrest in France initiated a domestic and international response. The 2005 civil unrest in France of October and November was a series of Riots and violent clashes involving mainly the burning Sarkozy was accused of having provoked the unrest by calling young delinquents from housing projects “rabble” (“racaille”) in Argenteuil near Paris. Public housing is a form of Housing tenure in which the property is owned by a Government authority which may be central or local Argenteuil is a commune in the northwestern suburbs of Paris, France. After the accidental death of two youths, which sparked the riots, Sarkozy first blamed it on “hoodlums” and gangsters. These remarks were sharply criticised by many on the left wing and by a member of his own government, Delegate Minister for Equal Opportunities Azouz Begag. Azouz Begag, ( عزوز بقاق) (born 5 February 1957 in Lyon, Rhône, France from an Algerian background is a ^[40]

After the rioting, he made a number of announcements on future policy: selection of immigrants, greater tracking of immigrants, and a reform on the 1945 ordinance government justice measures for young delinquents.

Action as UMP's leader

Before he was elected French President, Sarkozy was president of UMP, the French conservative party, elected with 85% of the vote. During his presidency, the number of members has significantly increased. In 2005, he supported a "yes" vote in the French referendum on the European Constitution but the "No" vote won. The French referendum on the Treaty establishing a Constitution for Europe was held on 29 May 2005 to decide whether France should ratify the proposed Constitution

Throughout 2005, Sarkozy became increasingly vocal in calling for radical changes in France's economic and social policies. These calls culminated in an interview with Le Monde on 8 September 2005, during which he claimed that the French had been misled for 30 years by false promises, and denounced what he considers to be unrealistic policies. Le Monde (The World is a Events 70 - Roman forces under Titus sack Jerusalem. 1264 - The Statute of Kalisz Year 2005 ( MMV) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. ^[41] Among other issues:

• he called for a simplified and "fairer" taxation system, with fewer loopholes and a maximum taxation rate (all direct taxes combined) at 50% of revenue;
• he approved measures reducing or denying social support to unemployed workers who refuse work offered to them;
• he pressed for a reduction in the budget deficit, claiming that the French state has been living off credit for some time. "Tax code" redirects here For the term as used in the United Kingdom PAYE system see Tax code (PAYE. Unemployment occurs when a person is available to work and currently seeking work but the person is without work. A budget deficit occurs when an Entity (often a Government) spends more Money than it takes in Credit is the provision of resources (such as granting a Loan) by one party to another party where that second party does not reimburse the first party immediately thereby generating

Such policies are what are called in France libéral (that is, in favour of laissez-faire economic policies, although this judgment is made by French standards) or, with a pejorative undertone, ultra-libéral. Laissez-faire ( pronunciation: French,; English,) is a French phrase literally meaning Let do (“allow to do” Sarkozy rejects this label of libéral and prefers to call himself a pragmatist instead. Besides his dirigisme on economical subjects is far from laissez-faire politics. Dirigisme (from the French) (in English also "dirigism" although per the OED both spellings are used is an Economic term designating an economy

Sarkozy opened another avenue of controversy by declaring that he wanted a reform of the immigration system, with quotas designed to admit the skilled workers needed by the French economy. Immigration refers to the movement of people among countries While the movement of people has existed throughout human history at various levels modern immigration implies long-term He also wants to reform the current French system for foreign students, saying that it enables foreign students to take open-ended curricula in order to obtain residency in France; instead, he wants to select the best students to the best curricula in France.

In early 2006, the French parliament adopted a controversial bill known as DADVSI, which reforms French copyright law. This article is for the post-Revolutionary and present-day institution DADVSI (generally pronounced as dadsi, in English: dah dsee is the abbreviation of the French Loi sur le Droit d'Auteur et les Droits Voisins dans The droit d'auteur (or French copyright law) developed in the eighteenth century at the same time as Copyright developed in the United Kingdom. Since his party was divided on the issue, Sarkozy stepped in and organised meetings between various parties involved. Later, groups such as the Odebi League and EUCD. info alleged that Sarkozy personally and unofficially supported certain amendments to the law, which enacted strong penalties against designers of peer-to-peer systems. For other uses of the term see Peer-to-peer (disambiguation For peer-to-peer networks used for file sharing see File sharing

Candidacy for President

Main article: French presidential election, 2007

On 14 January 2007, Nicolas Sarkozy was chosen by the UMP to be its candidate in the 2007 presidential election. Events 1129 - Formal approval of the Order of the Templar at the Council of Troyes. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Sarkozy, who was running unopposed, won 98% of the votes. Of the 327,000 UMP members who could vote, 69% participated in the online ballot. ^[42]

In February 2007 Sarkozy appeared on a televised debate on TF1 where he expressed his support for affirmative action for minorities and the freedom to work overtime. for the motorway in Tenerife Spain see TF1 Motorway, for the WWI aircraft Sopwith Camel#(Trench Fighter T Affirmative action in the United States|Employment equity (Canada|Reservation in India|Numerus clausus The term affirmative action describes many policies aimed at a historically Despite his opposition to same-sex marriage, he advocated civil unions and the possibility for same-sex partners to inherit under the same regime as married couples. Same-sex marriage (also referred to as gay marriage) is a term for a legally or Socially recognized Marriage between two people of the same A civil union is a legally recognized union similar to Marriage. The law has been voted in July 2007. ^[43]

On 7 February, Nicolas Sarkozy decided in favour of a projected second, non-nuclear, aircraft carrier for the national Navy (adding to the nuclear Charles de Gaulle), during an official visit in Toulon with Defence Minister Michèle Alliot-Marie. Events 457 - Leo I becomes emperor of the Byzantine Empire. 1074 - Battle of Montesarchio in which the Prince Background The previous French carriers Clemenceau and Foch were completed in 1961 and 1963 respectively Development Construction The carrier replaced ''Foch'', a conventionally-powered aircraft carrier in 2001 Toulon ( Provençal Occitan: Tolon in classical norm or Touloun in Mistralian norm is a city in southern France and a large Michèle Jeanne Honorine Alliot-Marie (born 10 September 1946) is the French Minister of the Interior and Overseas Territories she is the first woman to “This would allow permanently having an operational ship, taking into account the constraints of maintenance”, he explained. ^[44]

On 21 March, President Jacques Chirac announced his support for Sarkozy, adding that he had his vote. Events 630 - Byzantine emperor Heraclius restores the True Cross to Jerusalem. Chirac pointed out that Sarkozy had been chosen as presidential candidate for the ruling UMP party, and said: “So it is totally natural that I give him my vote and my support. ” To focus on his campaign, Sarkozy stepped down as interior minister on 26 March. Events 1026 - Pope John XIX crowns Conrad II as Holy Roman Emperor. ^[45]

During the campaign, rival candidates had accused Sarkozy of being a “candidate for brutality” and of presenting overly hardline views about France’s future. ^[46] He was also criticised by opponents for allegedly courting conservative voters in policy-making in a bid to capitalise on right-wing sentiments among some communities. However, his popularity was sufficient to see him polling as the frontrunner throughout the later campaign period, consistently ahead of rival Socialist candidate, Ségolène Royal.

The first round of the presidential election was held on 22 April 2007. Events 1500 - Portuguese Navigator Pedro Álvares Cabral becomes the first European to sight Brazil. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Nicolas Sarkozy came in first with 31. 18% of the votes, ahead of Ségolène Royal of the Socialists with 25. Marie-Ségolène Royal (born 22 September 1953 in Dakar, Senegal, then a French colony known as, (seɡɔlɛn ʁwajal is a 87%. In the second round, Sarkozy came out on top to win the election with 53. 06% of the votes ahead of Ségolène Royal with 46. Marie-Ségolène Royal (born 22 September 1953 in Dakar, Senegal, then a French colony known as, (seɡɔlɛn ʁwajal is a 94%. In his speech immediately following the announcement of the election results, Sarkozy stressed the need for France’s modernisation, but also called for national unity, mentioning that Royal was in his thoughts. In that speech, he claimed “The French have chosen to break with the ideas, habits and behaviour of the past. I will restore the value of work, authority, merit and respect for the nation. ”

Presidency (2007–present)

Main article: Presidency of Nicolas Sarkozy

On 16 May 2007, Nicolas Sarkozy became the sixth person elected President of the French Fifth Republic (the seventh overall; Alain Poher served twice in an interim role as President of the French Senate), and the 23rd president over all five Republican governments in the history of France. Nicolas Sarkozy, candidate of the conservative Union for a Popular Movement (UMP was elected President in May 2007, and became the sixth President of the French Events 1204 - Baldwin IX Count of Flanders is crowned as the first Emperor of the Latin Empire. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Alain Émile Louis Marie Poher (17 April 1909 – 9 December 1996 was a French Centrist politician affiliated first with the Popular Republican Movement The Senate (Sénat is the Upper house of the Parliament of France, presided over by a president. He is the first French President to have been born after World War II. World War II, or the Second World War, (often abbreviated WWII) was a global military conflict which involved a majority of the world's nations, including

The official transfer of power from Jacques Chirac took place on 16 May at 11:00 am (9:00 UTC) at the Élysée Palace, where he was given the authorization codes of the French nuclear arsenal and presented with the Grand Master’s Collar, symbol of his new function of Grand Master of the Legion of Honour. Events 1204 - Baldwin IX Count of Flanders is crowned as the first Emperor of the Latin Empire. The force de frappe (literally Strike Force; meant for dissuasion, i At that point, he formally became president. Leyenda, by Spanish composer Isaac Albéniz was played in honour of the president’s wife, who is Albeniz’s great-granddaughter. Leyenda ( Asturias) is a work of classical music written by the Spanish Composer Isaac Albéniz. Isaac Manuel Francisco Albéniz i Pascual (iˈsak alˈβeniθ ( May 29, 1860 &ndash May 18, 1909) was a Spanish Pianist Both Sarkozy’s mother Andrée, who sat on a regal chair, and his formerly estranged father Pal – with whom Sarkozy had reached a reconciliation – attended the ceremony, as did Sarkozy’s children. ^[47] The presidential motorcade, with the President on board the presidential Peugeot 607 Paladine,^[48] then travelled from the Élysée to the Champs-Élysées for a public ceremony at the Arc de Triomphe. A motorcade is a procession of vehicles used to transport a Very important person, usually a political figure The Peugeot 607 is an Executive car produced by the French Automaker Peugeot since 1999 The Avenue des Champs-Élysées (ʃɑ̃zeliˈze) is the most prestigious avenue in Paris. The Arc de Triomphe is a monument in Paris, France that stands in the centre of the Place Charles de Gaulle also known as the Place de l'Étoile. Then the new president went to the Cascade du Bois de Boulogne of Paris for a homage to the French Resistance and to the Communist resistant Guy Môquet – he proposed that all high-school students read Guy Moquet’s last letter to his parents, which was criticised by a number of leftists as a cynical form of reappropriation of French history by the right. The Bois de Boulogne is a park located along the western edge of the 16ème arrondissement of Paris, near the suburb of Boulogne-Billancourt. The French Resistance is the collective name used for the French Resistance movements which fought against the Nazi German The French Communist Party ( French: Parti communiste français or PCF) is a political party in France which advocates the principles of Guy Môquet ( 26 April 1924 — 22 October 1941) was a young French Communist militant ^{[49][50][51][52]}

In the afternoon, the new President flew to Berlin to meet with German Chancellor Angela Merkel. Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany ( ˈbʊndəsʁepuˌbliːk ˈdɔʏtʃlant is a Country in Central Europe. The Head of government of Germany is called Chancellor (Kanzler (ˈaŋɡela doʁoˈteːa ˈmɛɐ̯kəl (born Angela Dorothea Kasner, 17 July 1954 in Hamburg, West Germany) is the Chancellor of Germany.

Prime Minister Dominique de Villepin was replaced by François Fillon. Dominique de Villepin (born Dominique Marie François René Galouzeau de Villepin (dɔminik də vilpɛ̃ &mdash) on 14 November 1953 in Rabat, Morocco François Fillon (fʁɑ̃swa fijɔ̃ born 4 March 1954 in Le Mans, Sarthe) is the current Prime Minister of France, having been appointed to that ^[53] Sarkozy appointed Bernard Kouchner, the left-wing founder of Médecins Sans Frontières, as his foreign minister, leading to Kouchner’s expulsion from the Socialist Party. Bernard Kouchner (born November 1 1939 in Avignon) is a French Politician, diplomat, and doctor. Médecins Sans Frontières (pronounced) or Doctors Without Borders, is a secular humanitarian-aid Non-governmental organization best known The Socialist Party ( Parti Socialiste, PS is the largest left-wing political party in France. In addition to Kouchner, three more Sarkozy ministers are from the left, including Eric Besson, who served as Ségolène Royal’s economic adviser at the beginning of her campaign. Éric Besson (born 2 April 1958 in Marrakech) is a French politician presently with the title of “State Secretary for Prospectives and Marie-Ségolène Royal (born 22 September 1953 in Dakar, Senegal, then a French colony known as, (seɡɔlɛn ʁwajal is a Sarkozy also appointed seven women to form a total cabinet of 15; one, Justice Minister Rachida Dati, is the first woman of Northern African origin to serve in a French cabinet. Rachida Dati (رشيدة داتي born 27 November 1965) is a French politician Of the 15, two attended the elite Ecole Nationale d'Administration (ENA). The École Nationale d'Administration ( ÉNA) one of the most prestigious French schools ( Grandes écoles) was created in 1945 by Charles de Gaulle ^[54] The ministers were reorganised, with the controversial creation of a Ministry of Immigration, Integration, National Identity and Co-Development – given to his right-hand man Brice Hortefeux – and of a Ministry of Budget, Public Accounts and Civil Administration – handed out to Éric Wœrth, supposed to prepare the replacement of only a third of all civil servants who retire. Brice Hortefeux (born 11 May 1958 in Neuilly-sur-Seine, Hauts-de-Seine but was raised in Auvergne) is a French politician Éric Wœrth (born 29 January 1956 in Creil) is a French politician However, after the 17 June parliamentary elections, the Cabinet has been adjusted to 15 ministers and 16 deputy ministers, totalling 31 officials. Events 1462 - Vlad III the Impaler attempts to assassinate Mehmed II ( The Night Attack) forcing him to retreat

Shortly after taking office, President Sarkozy began negotiations with Colombian president Álvaro Uribe and the left-wing guerrilla FARC, regarding the release of hostages held by the rebel group, especially Franco-Colombian politician Ingrid Betancourt. Colombia (kəˈlʌmbɪə officially the Republic of Colombia () is a country in northwestern South America. Álvaro Uribe Vélez ('alβ̞aɾo u'ɾiβ̞e 'β̞eles born July 4 1952 in Medellín) is a Colombian politician and lawyer who is currently the 39th President The Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia – People’s Army (Fuerzas Armadas Revolucionarias de Colombia – Ejército del Pueblo also known by the Acronym of Ingrid Betancourt Pulecio (born December 25 1961) is a Colombian French politician former senator and anti- corruption According to some sources, Sarkozy himself asked for Uribe to release FARC’s “chancellor” Rodrigo Granda. Ricardo González also known as Rodrigo Granda is a Colombian Venezuelan member of Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC ^[55] Furthermore, he announced on 24 July 2007, that French and European representatives had obtained the extradition of the Bulgarian nurses detained in Libya to their country. Events 1132 - Battle of Nocera between Ranulf II of Alife and Roger II of Sicily. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. The HIV trial in Libya (or Bulgarian nurses affair) concerns the trials appeals and eventual release of six foreign medical workers charged with conspiring to deliberately infect In exchange, he signed with Gaddafi security, health care and immigration pacts – and a $230 million (168 million euros) MILAN antitank missile sale. Muammar Abu Minyar al-Gaddafi 1 (معمر القذافي) (born 7 June 1942) also known as Colonel Gaddafi Milan (Milano Milan (listen) is one of the largest cities in Italy, located in the plains of Lombardy. ^[56] The contract was the first made by Libya since 2004, and was negotiated with MBDA, a subsidiary of EADS. MBDA is a missile manufacturer with operations in France, Germany, Italy and Britain. The European Aeronautic Defence and Space Company EADS NV ( EADS) is a large European aerospace corporation formed by the merger on July 10, Another 128 millions euros contract would have been signed, according to Tripoli, with EADS for a TETRA radio system. The European Aeronautic Defence and Space Company EADS NV ( EADS) is a large European aerospace corporation formed by the merger on July 10, "TETRA" redirects here For other uses see Tetra (disambiguation TErrestrial Trunked RAdio ( TETRA) (formerly known as The Socialist Party (PS) and the Communist Party (PCF) criticised a “state affair” and a “barter” with a “Rogue state”. The Socialist Party ( Parti Socialiste, PS is the largest left-wing political party in France. The French Communist Party ( French: Parti communiste français or PCF) is a political party in France which advocates the principles of ^[57] The leader of the PS, François Hollande, requested the opening of a parliamentary investigation. François Hollande (born August 12, 1954) is a French Politician. ^[56]

On 8 June 2007, during the 33rd G8 summit in Heiligendamm, Sarkozy set a goal of reducing French CO₂ emissions by 50% by 2050 in order to prevent global warming. Events 68 - The Roman Senate accepts emperor Galba. 536 - St Silverius becomes Pope (probable Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. The 33rd G8 summit took place at Kempinski Grand Hotel in Heiligendamm in the old Duchy of Mecklenburg in the Northern German state of The seaside resort Heiligendamm, situated on the Baltic Sea coast was founded in 1793. Global warming is the increase in the average measured temperature of the He then pushed forward the important Socialist figure of Dominique Strauss-Kahn as European nominee to the International Monetary Fund (IMF). Dominique Strauss-Kahn, often referred to as DSK, (born 25 April 1949 in Neuilly-sur-Seine) is a French Economist, Lawyer, and The International Monetary Fund ( IMF) is an International organization that oversees the Global financial system by following the Macroeconomic ^[58] Critics alleged that Sarkozy proposed to nominate Strauss-Kahn as managing director of the IMF to deprive the Socialist Party of one of its more popular figures. ^[59]

The UMP, Sarkozy’s party, won a majority at the June 2007 legislative election, although by less than expected. The French legislative elections took place on 10 June and 17 June 2007 to elect the 13th National Assembly of the Fifth Republic, In July, the UMP majority, seconded by the Nouveau Centre, ratified one of Sarkozy’s electoral promises, which was to partially revoke the inheritance tax. New Centre ( Nouveau Centre, NC also known as the European Social Liberal Party ( Parti Social Libéral Européen, PSLE is a Political party Estate tax and Death duty redirect here Inheritance tax, estate tax and death duty are the names given to various taxes which ^[60][61] The inheritance tax formerly brought eight billion euros into state coffers. ^[62]

After winning the election, Sarkozy’s UMP majority has reduced taxes, in particular for upper middle-class people, allegedly in an effort to boost GDP growth, but did not reduce state expenditures. Supply-side economics is an arguably heterodox school of Macroeconomic thought that argues that economic growth can be most effectively created using incentives for He was criticised by the European Commission for doing so. Furthermore, Sarkozy broke with the custom of amnestying traffic tickets and of releasing thousands of prisoners from overcrowded jails on Bastille Day, a tradition that Napoleon had started in 1802 to commemorate the storming of the Bastille during the French Revolution^[56]

Sarkozy then went on vacation to the United States, taking his family to Lake Winnipesaukee in New Hampshire. Amnesty (from the Greek amnestia, oblivion is a legislative or executive act by which a state restores those who may have been guilty of an offense against it to Bastille Day is the French national holiday, celebrated on 14 July each year. Napoleon Bonaparte (15 August 1769 – 5 May 1821 was a French military and political leader who had a significant impact on the History of Europe. The Storming of the Bastille in Paris occurred on 14 July 1789. The French Revolution (1789–1799 was a period of political and social upheaval in the History of France, during which the French governmental structure previously an Lake Winnipesaukee is the largest Lake in New Hampshire. It is approximately 21 miles (34 km long (northwest-southeast and from one to nine miles (1 New Hampshire ( is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. He stayed in the 11-bathroom shorefront mansion of former Microsoft executive Michael Appe. Microsoft Corporation is an American multinational Computer technology Corporation, which rose to dominate the Home computer ^[56] He was brought there by a commercial jet, however, after the death of Cardinal Lustiger, archbishop of Paris, whose funeral he was to attend,^[63] one of his presidential planes flew him on 10 August to Paris and then back to America. Aaron Jean-Marie Cardinal Lustiger (French pronunciation Fr-Jean Marie Lustiger Events 612 BC - Killing of Sinsharishkun, King of Assyrian Empire On 21 August he returned to France by a commercial jet. Events 1192 - Minamoto Yoritomo becomes Seii Tai Shōgun and the De facto ruler of Japan.

Sarkozy’s government issued a decree on 7 August 2007 to generalise a voluntary biometric profiling program of travellers in airports. A decree is an order made by a Head of state or government and having the force of Law. Events 322 BC - Battle of Crannon between Athens and Macedon following the death of Alexander the Great. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Biometrics ( ancient Greek: bios life metron measure refers to two very different fields of study and application The program, called Parafes, was to use fingerprints. The new database would be interconnected with the Schengen Information System (SIS) as well as with a national database of wanted persons (FPR). Government databases collect personal information for various reasons ( Mass surveillance, Schengen Information System in the European Union, Social The Schengen Information System, also called “ SIS ” is a secure Governmental database system used by several European countries for the purpose of maintaining The Commission nationale de l'informatique et des libertés (CNIL) protested against this new decree, opposing itself to the recording of fingerprints and to the interconnection between the SIS and the FPR. The Commission nationale de l'informatique et des libertés or CNIL (knil is an independent French administrative authority whose mission is to ensure that Data ^[64]

Main members of Sarkozy’s staff

• General secretary - Claude Guéant^[65]
• Chief of the private military staff - Vice-amiral d'escadre Édouard Guillaud
• Special advisor to the President - Henri Guaino
• Advisors to the President - Raymond Soubie and Catherine Pégard
• Diplomatic advisor and sherpa - Jean-David Levitte
• Deputy secretary general - François Pérol
• Head of cabinet - Emmanuelle Mignon
• Advisors to the Presidency - Georges Marc Benamou, Arnold Munnich and Patrick Ouart
• Spokesman - David Martinon
• Head of cabinet - Cédric Goubet

Image of Sarkozy

He was named the 68th best dressed person by the Vanity Fair magazine, alongside David Beckham and Brad Pitt. Claude Guéant (born 17 January 1945) is a French civil servant, General secretary of the French President The rank Insignia of the French Navy ( French: Marine Nationale) are worn on shoulder straps of shirts and white jackets A sherpa is the personal representative of a Head of state of government who prepares an international summit like the annual G8. Jean-David Levitte (born June 14 1946) Vanity Fair is an American magazine of Culture, Fashion, and Politics published by Condé Nast Publications. David Robert Joseph Beckham, and is also a member of the England national team. William Bradley "Brad" Pitt Pitt received a Golden Globe Award and an Academy Award nomination for his role in the 1995 film Twelve Monkeys ^[66] Beside publicizing, at times, and at others, refusing to publicise his ex-wife’s image,^[67] Sarkozy takes care of his own personal image, sometimes to the point of censoring — such as in the Paris Match affair, when he allegedly forced its director to resign following an article on Cécilia and her affair with Publicis executive Richard Attias, or pressures exercised on the Journal du dimanche, which was preparing to publish an article concerning Cécilia’s decision not to vote in the second round of the 2007 presidential election. In standard conditions France does not have Censorship laws being a Liberal democracy respectful of Freedom of press. Paris match (band is also a Japanese musical group Paris Match is a French weekly Magazine. Publicis Groupe () is a French multinational Advertising and communications company ^[68] In its August 9, 2007 edition, Paris Match retouched a photo of Sarkozy in order to erase a love handle. Events 48 BC - Caesar's civil war: Battle of Pharsalus - Julius Caesar decisively defeats Pompey at Pharsalus Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Love Handles is a Canadian Game show which was produced by Blair Murdoch from 1996 - 1998 for Global TV, and hosted by Stu ^[69][70][71] His official portrait destined for all French townhalls was done by SIPA photographer Philippe Warrin, better known for his paparazzi work. Sipa (Kick is the Philippines ' national and Traditional native Sport which predates Spanish rule Paparazzi is a plural term ( paparazzo being the singular form for Photographers who take unstaged and/or candid photographs of Celebrities ^[72]

Former Daily Telegraph journalist Colin Randall has however highlighted Sarkozy’s tighter control of his image and frequents interventions in the media: “he censors a book, or fires the chief editor of an hebdomary. For "The Daily Telegraph" in Australia see The Daily Telegraph (Australia. "^[72]

Sarkozy, alongside Tony Blair, is part of the inspiration for Mathieu Amalric’s portrayal of Dominic Greene, the villain of the 22nd James Bond film, Quantum of Solace. Anthony Charles Lynton "Tony" Blair (born 6 May 1953 is a British Politician who was Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 2 May 1997 to Mathieu Amalric (born 25 October 1965 is a three-time César Award winning French Actor and Film director, perhaps best known for his lead Dominic Greene is a fictional character and the primary antagonist in the upcoming James Bond film Quantum of Solace. The James Bond film series are Spy films inspired by Ian Fleming 's novels about the fictional MI6 agent Commander James Bond (codename Quantum of Solace ( 2008) is the 22nd James Bond film by EON Productions, due for release in the United Kingdom on 31 October 2008 and in ^[73]

Controversies

Generally speaking, Sarkozy is a bête noire of the Left, and is also criticised by some on the right, most vocally by the supporters of Jacques Chirac and Dominique de Villepin, such as Jean-Louis Debré. Dominique de Villepin (born Dominique Marie François René Galouzeau de Villepin (dɔminik də vilpɛ̃ &mdash) on 14 November 1953 in Rabat, Morocco Jean-Louis Debré (born 30 September 1944) is a conservative French political figure ^[74][75]

Critics have accused him of being an authoritarian demagogue, ready to trade away civil liberties for political gains. Demagogy (also demagoguery) ( Ancient Greek δημαγωγία from dēmos "people" and agein "to lead" refers to a political thumb| |Broken Liberty Istanbul Archaeology Museum Civil liberties are freedoms that protect the Individual from the Government. ^[76] He is also accused by the Left of being a populist who favours far-right ideas. Populism is a discourse which supports "the people" versus "the Elites " Populism may involve either a political philosophy urging social and political Far right, extreme right, ultra-right, or radical right are terms used to discuss the qualitative or quantitative position a group ^[77]

Kärcher remark

In the midst of a tense period and following a shooting that killed an 11-year-old boy in the banlieue of La Courneuve in June 2005, Sarkozy quoted a local resident and vowed to clean the area out “with a Kärcher” (nettoyer la cité au Kärcher, Kärcher being a well-known German brand of pressure cleaning equipment), and two days before the 2005 Paris riots he referred to the youth of the housing projects as voyous (thugs) and racaille, a slang term which can be translated into English as rabble, scum or riff-raff;^[78] this was criticised as being inappropriate language. Alfred Kärcher GmbH & Co KG is a German manufacturer of cleaning systems and equipment known for its high-pressure cleaners Banlieue-erevanjpg|thumb|Banlieue of Erevan; Armenia]][[Image Etalement urbain banlieue paris - 03 La Courneuve is a commune in the northeastern suburbs of Paris, France. Alfred Kärcher GmbH & Co KG is a German manufacturer of cleaning systems and equipment known for its high-pressure cleaners Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany ( ˈbʊndəsʁepuˌbliːk ˈdɔʏtʃlant is a Country in Central Europe. The 2005 civil unrest in France of October and November was a series of Riots and violent clashes involving mainly the burning ^[79]

Separation of powers

As Minister of the Interior, Sarkozy has made bold statements following heinous crimes reported in the media. As a consequence, he has been accused in certain cases of failing to respect the separation of powers between the executive and the judiciary by trying to apply pressure in certain cases. Separation of powers, a term ascribed to French Enlightenment Political philosopher Baron de Montesquieu, is a model for the Governance In Political science and Constitutional law, the executive is the branch of government responsible for the day-to-day management of the State. In Law, the judiciary or judicial system is the system of Courts which administer Justice in the name of the sovereign or State Most famously, he was criticised, not only by the left-wing Syndicat de la magistrature judges' union, but also by the centrist Union syndicale des magistrats for attacks on the independence of the judiciary. ^[80]

In September 2005 some youths were acquitted of an arson attack on a police station in Pau for lack of proof and Sarkozy was accused of having pushed for a hasty inquiry – Sarkozy had vowed that the perpetrators would be arrested within three months. Pau is a town and ''commune'' in the Aquitaine ''région'' of ^[81] On 22 June 2005, he announced to law enforcement officials that he had questioned the Minister of Justice about the future of “the judge” who had freed a man on parole, enabling him to commit a murder. Events 217 BC - Battle of Raphia: Ptolemy IV of Egypt defeats Antiochus III the Great of the Seleucid kingdom. Year 2005 ( MMV) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Parole may have different meanings depending on the field and judiciary system ^[82]

Sarkozy has personal friendships with some of the most powerful figures in the French business world; for example, Martin Bouygues (from the Bouygues group, owner of the TF1 channel, as well as telecommunications and public works companies) and Bernard Arnault (from LVMH) were his marriage witnesses. Bouygues ( is a French industrial group listed on Euronext Paris exchange and is a blue chip in the CAC 40 Stock market index Bouygues ( is a French industrial group listed on Euronext Paris exchange and is a blue chip in the CAC 40 Stock market index for the motorway in Tenerife Spain see TF1 Motorway, for the WWI aircraft Sopwith Camel#(Trench Fighter T Bernard Arnault (born 5 March 1949 in Roubaix) is a French businessman LVMH Moët Hennessy • Louis Vuitton SA ( usually shortened to LVMH, is a French Holding company and is the world's largest Luxury His brother, Guillaume, is a senior executive of the MEDEF, the foremost business union in France; in 2005, he renounced running for the top position of that union because he said he did not want to hinder his brother’s political career. The Mouvement des Entreprises de France or MEDEF (in English "Movement of the French Enterprises" is the largest Union of employers A trade union or labour union is an organization of workers who have banded together to achieve common goals in key areas such as wages hours and working conditions forming French presidents have long had links with the business sector, but Sarkozy’s have been especially extensive, and especially publicly discussed. His vacation on the yacht of a wealthy industrialist, immediately after his election, drew particular comment, although Sarkozy was unapologetic.

Religion and state

In 2004, he published a book called La République, les religions, l'espérance (“The Republic, Religions, and Hope”),^[83] in which he argued that the young should not be brought up solely on secular or republican values. Secularity ( adjective form secular) is the state of being separate from Religion. Republicanism is the Ideology of governing a nation as a Republic, with an emphasis on Liberty, Rule of law, Popular sovereignty He also advocated reducing the separation of church and state, arguing for the government subsidy of mosques in order to encourage Islamic integration into French society. Separation of church and state is a Political and Legal Doctrine that Government and religious institutions are to be kept separate In Economics, a subsidy (also known as a subvention is a form of financial assistance paid to a business or economic sector A "mosque" in English refers to all types of buildings dedicated for Islamic worship although there is a distinction in Arabic between the smaller privately owned mosque and the larger ^[84] He flatly opposes financing of religious institutions with funds from outside France. After meeting with Tom Cruise, Sarkozy was criticised by some for meeting with a member of the Church of Scientology, which is classified as a cult (secte translates “cult”) in France (see Parliamentary Commission on Cults in France). Thomas Cruise Mapother IV ( born July 3 1962 better known by his screen name Tom Cruise, is an American Actor and Film producer The Church of Scientology is the largest organization devoted to the practice and the promotion of the Scientology belief system. This article does not discuss "cult" in the original sense of "veneration" or "religious practice" for that usage see Cult (religious practice The French National Assembly, the lower house of the Parliament of France, set up a Parliamentary Commission on Cults in France ( Commission parlementaire sur ^[85]

Sarkozy visited the Pope on December 20, 2007, and received the title of Honorary Chanoine of the Basilica of St. John Lateran. History See also History of the Papacy Catholics recognize the Pope as a successor to Saint Peter, who Jesus named as the "shepherd" and Events 69 - Vespasian, formerly a general under Nero, enters Rome to claim the title of Emperor. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. A Chanoine is the French for canon, a member of the clergy of the Roman Catholic Church. The Basilica of St John Lateran ( Italian: Basilica di San Giovanni in Laterano) is the Cathedral of the church of Rome and the official ^[86] A chanoine is a member of the clergy. A Chanoine is the French for canon, a member of the clergy of the Roman Catholic Church. ^[87] On his visit to the Pope, Sarkozy was accompanied by French comedian Jean-Marie Bigard,^[88] was late, and text-messaged during the audience. This behavior has some people pretending that he is not cultured enough to be in office. ^[89]

War in Iraq

Nicolas Sarkozy disapproved of the US-led invasion of Iraq, but was nonetheless critical of the way Jacques Chirac and his foreign minister Dominique de Villepin expressed France’s opposition to the war. The Iraq War, also known as the Second Gulf War, the Occupation of Iraq, or the War in Iraq, is an ongoing Military campaign Dominique de Villepin (born Dominique Marie François René Galouzeau de Villepin (dɔminik də vilpɛ̃ &mdash) on 14 November 1953 in Rabat, Morocco Talking at the French-American Foundation in Washington, D.C. on 12 September 2006, he denounced what he called the “French arrogance” and said: “It is bad manners to embarrass one’s allies or sound like one is taking delight in their troubles. Washington DC ( formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, the District, or simply D Events 1213 - Albigensian Crusade: Simon de Montfort 5th Earl of Leicester, defeats Peter II of Aragon at the Year 2006 ( MMVI) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. "^[90] He also added: “We must never again turn our disagreements into a crisis. ” Jacques Chirac reportedly said in private that Sarkozy’s speech was “appalling” and “a shameful act”. ^[90]

Even though his current foreign minister Bernard Kouchner (excluded from the Socialist party after his inclusion in François Fillon’s government) had been one of the few supporters in France of removal of Saddam Hussein from power, Sarkozy’s stance on the war has not changed. Bernard Kouchner (born November 1 1939 in Avignon) is a French Politician, diplomat, and doctor. François Fillon (fʁɑ̃swa fijɔ̃ born 4 March 1954 in Le Mans, Sarthe) is the current Prime Minister of France, having been appointed to that Saddam Hussein Abd al-Majid al-Tikriti ( Arabic: ar صدام حسين عبد المجيد التكريتي --> April 28 1937 &ndash December 30

View on genetic predispositions

A few weeks before the first round of the 2007 presidential elections, Nicolas Sarkozy said during an interview with philosopher Michel Onfray^[91] that he thinks disorders such as paedophilia and depression have a genetic as well as social basis, famously stating “I don't agree with you, I'd be inclined to think that one is born a paedophile, and it is actually a problem that we do not know how to cure this disease"; he also claimed that suicides among youth were linked to genetic predispositions by stating, “I don't want to give parents a complex. Michel Onfray (born January 1 1959 in Argentan, Orne, France) is a French Philosopher. The term pedophilia or paedophilia has a range of definitions as found in Psychology, law enforcement and the popular vernacular Major depressive disorder, also known as major depression, unipolar depression, unipolar disorder, clinical depression, or simply depression The term pedophilia or paedophilia has a range of definitions as found in Psychology, law enforcement and the popular vernacular It’s not exclusively the parents' fault every time a youngster commits suicide. " These claims were criticised by some scientists, including controversial geneticist Axel Kahn. Axel Kahn, born in 1944 is a French scientist and geneticist. ^[92][93] Sarkozy later said, “What part is innate and what part is acquired? At least let’s debate it, let’s not close the door to all debate. "^[94]

African speech

On Friday, July 27, 2007, Sarkozy delivered a speech in Senegal, written by Henri Guaino, in which he made reference to “African peasants"^[95][96] (note that the French word “paysans” can be translated as either “peasants” or as “rural people”) and said that colonialism was not the cause of all of Africa’s problems,^[95] and denied that France had ever exploited an African country. Events 1214 - Battle of Bouvines: In France, Philip II of France defeats John of England. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Senegal (le Sénégal officially the Republic of Senegal, is a country south of the Sénégal River in western Africa. A peasant is an agricultural worker who subsists by working a small plot of ground See Colony and Colonization for examples of colonialism which do not refer to Western colonialism ^[96]

“	The tragedy of Africa is that the African has never really entered into history. . . They have never really launched themselves into the future. . . The African peasant, who for thousands of years has lived according to the seasons, whose life ideal was to be in harmony with nature, only knew the eternal renewal of time. . . In this imaginary world, where everything starts over and over again, there is room neither for human endeavour, nor for the idea of progress. . . The problem of Africa. . . is to be found here. Africa’s challenge is to enter to a greater extent into history. . . It is to realise that the golden age that Africa is forever recalling will not return, because it has never existed.	”
—Sarkozy, at a speech in Senegal, [96]

The remarks were greeted with disappointment and widely condemned by African intellectuals; many, such as Achille Mbembe, Mamadou Diouf or Ibrahima Thioub viewed them not only as racist, but as displaying a deep ignorance by Sarkozy of African studies, wondering how it was possible to hold similar discourses in 2008. For information on the cryptid see Mokele-Mbembe Achille Mbembe was born in Cameroon in 1957 African studies is the study of Africa, and can encompass such fields as social and Economic development, Politics, History, ^[97][98][96] Alpha Oumar Konare, head of the African Union commission, said “This speech was not the kind of break we were hoping for. Alpha Oumar Konaré (born 2 February 1946) was the President of Mali for two five-year terms (1992 to 2002 and was Chairperson of the African The African Union (abbreviated AU in English, and UA in its other working languages is a Confederation consisting of 53  African . . It reminded us of another age, especially his comments about peasants. "^[96] Other criticism was levelled at Sarkozy’s failure to acknowledge the previous role of France in propping up abusive regimes. ^[96] The French government defended Sarkozy’s speech, saying that he also criticised the laissez faire economics of globalisation and proposed a partnership to help Africa confront it. Laissez-faire ( pronunciation: French,; English,) is a French phrase literally meaning Let do (“allow to do” ^[96] Konare’s wife Adame Ba Konare also started a movement of promotion of African History following Sarkozy’s speech. Adame Ba Konaré (born 1 May, 1947 in Segu, Mali) is a noted Malian historian and writer who is married to Alpha Oumar Konaré

A purported letter from South African president Thabo Mbeki praising Sarkozy for the speech and calling him a “citizen of Africa” raised an outcry among the South African media. The Republic of South Africa (also known by other official names) is a country located at the southern tip of the continent of Africa Thabo Mvuyelwa Mbeki (born 18 June 1942 is a South African politician who served as President of South Africa from 1999 to 24 September 2008 ^[96][98]

Agricultural Show incident

On February 23, 2008, Sarkozy was filmed by a reporter for French newspaper Le Parisien having the following exchange while visiting the Paris International Agricultural Show:^[99]

While quickly crossing the hall Saturday morning, in the middle of the crowd, Sarkozy encounters a recalcitrant visitor who refuses to shake his hand. Events 1455 - Traditional date for the publication of the Gutenberg Bible, the first Western Book printed from Movable 2008 ( MMVIII) is the current year in accordance with the Gregorian calendar, a Leap year that started on Tuesday of the Common Le Parisien ("The Parisian quot is a French daily Newspaper covering both international and national news and local news of Paris International Agricultural Show is one of the world’s largest and most important Agricultural shows drawing larger crowds than any other exposition in Paris except the “Ah no, don't touch me!”, said the man. The president retorted immediately: “Get lost, then. ” “You're making me dirty”, yelled the man. With a frozen smile, Sarkozy says, his teeth glistening, a refined “Get lost, then, poor dumb-ass, go. "^[100]

This exchange has been cause for much humour and debate regarding its propriety in the French press. It should also be noted that a precise translation into English has many possible variations. ^{[101][102][103]}

Awards and honours

French honours

• Grand Cross of the Légion d'honneur (2007 - Automatic when taking office)
  • Was previously Knight of the Légion d'honneur (since 2004)
• Grand Cross of the Ordre national du Mérite (2007 - Automatic when taking office)

Other countries

• Honorary Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath (2008 - United Kingdom)^[104]
• Grand Cross of the Order of Charles III (2004 - Spain)^[105]
• Commander of the Ordre de Léopold (Belgium)
• Stara Planina (Bulgaria)

Notes

Bibliography

• Sarkozy, Nicolas (1994). Agence France-Presse ( AFP) is the oldest News agency in the world and one of the three largest with Associated Press and Reuters. Events 138 - The Emperor Hadrian adopts Antoninus Pius, effectively making him his successor 2008 ( MMVIII) is the current year in accordance with the Gregorian calendar, a Leap year that started on Tuesday of the Common Events 747 BC - Epoch (origin of Ptolemy 's Nabonassar Era 364 - Valentinian I is proclaimed 2008 ( MMVIII) is the current year in accordance with the Gregorian calendar, a Leap year that started on Tuesday of the Common This article is primarily about Reuters prior to its 2008 merger with Thomson [Georges Mandel] : le moine de la politique. Paris: B. Grasset. ISBN 978-2-246-46301-6.  
• Ottenheimer, Ghislaine (1994). Les deux Nicolas: la machine Balladur. Paris: Plon. ISBN 2-259-18115-5.  
• Sarkozy, Nicolas; and Denisot, Michel (1995). Au bout de la passion, l'équilibre. Paris: A. Michel. ISBN 2-226-07616-6.  , interviews with Michel Denisot.
• Hauser, Anita (1995). Sarkozy: l'ascension d'un jeune homme pressé. Paris: Belfond. ISBN 2-7144-3235-2.  , Grand livre du mois 1995.
• Sarkozy, Nicolas (2003). Libre. Paris: Pocket. ISBN 2-266-13303-9.  , subject(s): Pratiques politiques—France—1990–, France—Politique et gouvernement—1997–2002.
• Mantoux, Aymeric (2003). Nicolas Sarkozy: l'instinct du pouvoir. Paris: First Éd. . ISBN 2-87691-783-1.  
• Nay, Catherine (2007). Un Pouvoir Nommé Désir. Paris: l'Archipel. ISBN 2-84187-495-8.  
• Hauser, Anita (2003). Sarkozy: itinéraire d'une ambition. Paris: Grasset. ISBN 978-2246680017.  
• Le Canard enchaîné (periodical) (2003). Sarkozy, l'homme (trop) pressé. Paris: “Le Canard enchaîné”. ISSN 0292-5354 (series).  , series: Les dossiers du “Canard enchaîné” 89.
• Domenach, Nicolas ([2004]). Sarkozy au fond des yeux. [Paris]: Jacob-Duvernet. ISBN 2-84724-064-0.  
• Alvarez-Montalvo, Marta (9 July 2004). Events 455 - Roman military commander Avitus is proclaimed Emperor of the Western Roman Empire. "MMIV" redirects here For the Modest Mouse album see " Baron von Bullshit Rides Again " “¿Quién teme a Nicolas Sarkozy? El ministro de economía francés se postula como próximo candidato a las presidenciales de 2007. ”, in Epoca ([Madrid] : Difusora de Informacion Periodica S. A. , DINPESA, July 9, 2004), number 1012, p. Events 455 - Roman military commander Avitus is proclaimed Emperor of the Western Roman Empire. "MMIV" redirects here For the Modest Mouse album see " Baron von Bullshit Rides Again " 46(2), 3 pages, 829 words, available online [3].
• Blocier, Antoine (2004). Voyage à Sarkoland. Pantin: le Temps des cerises. ISBN 2-84109-449-9.  
• Cabu (2004). Sarko circus. Paris: le Cherche Midi. ISBN 2-7491-0277-4.  , subject(s): Sarkozy, Nicolas (1955–) — Caricatures et dessins humoristiques.
• Gurrey, Béatrice (2004). Le rebelle et le roi. Paris: A. Michel. ISBN 2-226-15576-7.  , Grand Livre du mois 2004, subject(s): Chirac, Jacques (1932–), Sarkozy, Nicolas (1955–), France—Politique et gouvernement—1995–.
• Sarkozy, Nicolas; and Verdin, Philippe, and Collin, Thibaud (2004). La République, les religions, l'espérance : entretiens avec Thibaud Collin et Philippe Verdin. Paris: les éd. du Cerf. ISBN 2-204-07283-4.  , subject(s): Laïcité—France—1990–, Islam—France—1990–.
• Sarkozy, Nicolas; and Verdin, Philippe, and Collin, Thibaud (2005). La République, les religions, l'espérance : entretiens avec Thibaud Collin et Philippe Verdin. Paris: Pocket, DL. ISBN 2-266-15708-6.  .
• Darmon, Michaël (2004). Sarko Star. Paris: Éd. du Seuil. ISBN 2-02-066826-2.  
• Friedman, Jean-Pierre (2005). Dans la peau de Sarko et de ceux qui veulent sa peau. Paris: Michalon. ISBN 2-84186-270-4.  
• Noir, Victor (2005). Nicolas Sarkozy, le destin de Brutus. ISBN 2-207-25751-7.  
• Reinhard, Philippe (2005). Chirac Sarkozy, mortelle randonnée. Paris: First éd. . ISBN 2-7540-0003-8.  
• Sautreau, Serge (2005). Nicoléon, roman. [Paris]: L' Atelier des Brisants. ISBN 2-84623-074-9.  
• René Dosière, 'L'argent caché de l'Élysée', Seuil, 2007

External links

Official websites

• (French) President of France
• (French) Nicolas Sarkozy Construire Ensemble—Official web site of the presidential campaign
• (French) Website of the UMP, Sarkozy’s party
• (French) Nicolas Sarkozy–Official Website
• (French) Supporters de Sarkozy–Official Website of Nicolas Sarkozy’s supporters
• (French) Sarkozy’s campaign Humour

Press

• (English) “Hosing Sarkozy" an article in the TLS by Sudhir Hazareesingh, November 28, 2007
• (English) Interview after One Month in Office in Le Figaro, 07.06.2007
• (English) Sarkozy takes over Chirac’s UMP party (BBC)
• (English) Profile: Nicolas Sarkozy (BBC)
• (English) Nicolas Sarkozy: French Choose the American Way? by David Storobin
• (English) Vive this difference by Suzanne Fields
• (English) France’s chance, The Economist, 12 April 2007
• (English) Letter From Europe- Round 1 Jane Kramer, The New Yorker, April 23, 2007
• (English) On the so-called "rupture" by Sarkozy, Mathieu Potte-Bonneville & Pierre Zaoui, Vacarme n°41, Winter 2007

Related contents

• (Spanish) Extended biography by CIDOB Foundation
• (French) Sarkozy 2007—Website to promote Nicolas Sarkozy’s candidacy in 2007
• (French) Some Nicolas Sarkozy’s quotations

Political offices
Preceded by Daniel Vaillant	Minister of the Interior of France 2002 – 2004	Succeeded by Dominique de Villepin
Preceded by Francis Mer	Minister of the Economy, Finance and Industry of France 2004	Succeeded by Hervé Gaymard
Preceded by Dominique de Villepin	Minister of the Interior of France 2005 – 2007	Succeeded by François Baroin
Preceded by Jacques Chirac	President of France 2007 – present	Incumbent
Regnal titles
Preceded by Jacques Chirac	French Co-Prince of Andorra with Joan Enric Vives Sicília 2007 – present	Incumbent
Party political offices
Preceded by Philippe Séguin	President of Rally for the Republic Acting 1999	Succeeded by Michèle Alliot-Marie
Preceded by Alain Juppé	President of the Union for a Popular Movement 2004 – 2007	Succeeded by Patrick Devedjian Jean-Pierre Raffarin Jean-Claude Gaudin Pierre Méhaignerie

Persondata
NAME	Sarkozy, Nicolas
ALTERNATIVE NAMES	Sarközy, Nicolas Paul Stéphane, de Nagy-Bocsa
SHORT DESCRIPTION	current President of France
DATE OF BIRTH	28 January 1955
PLACE OF BIRTH	Paris, France
DATE OF DEATH
PLACE OF DEATH

For the town in Argentina, see 28 de Noviembre. Events Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. The Economist is an English-language weekly news and International affairs publication owned by The Economist Newspaper Ltd and edited in London Events 467 - Anthemius is elevated to Emperor of the Western Roman Empire. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. The New Yorker is an American Magazine that publishes reportage commentary criticism essays fiction satire cartoons and poetry Events 215 BC - A temple is built on the Capitoline Hill dedicated to Venus Erycina to commemorate the Roman defeat at Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Daniel Vaillant (born July 19, 1949) is a French Socialist politician The Minister of the Interior (full title Ministre de l’Intérieur et de l’Aménagement du Territoire) in France is one of the most important governmental Dominique de Villepin (born Dominique Marie François René Galouzeau de Villepin (dɔminik də vilpɛ̃ &mdash) on 14 November 1953 in Rabat, Morocco Francis Mer (may 25th 1939 in Pau) is a French Businessman, Industrialist and Politician. The Minister for the Economy Industry and Employment ( ministre de l'Économie de l'Industrie et de l'Emploi) or Minister of Finance for short is one of the Hervé Gaymard (born May 31 1960 in Bourg-Saint-Maurice, Savoie) is a French politician and a member of UMP conservative Dominique de Villepin (born Dominique Marie François René Galouzeau de Villepin (dɔminik də vilpɛ̃ &mdash) on 14 November 1953 in Rabat, Morocco The Minister of the Interior (full title Ministre de l’Intérieur et de l’Aménagement du Territoire) in France is one of the most important governmental François Baroin (born June 21, 1965) is a French politician and a long-time ally of Jacques Chirac. Second French Republic (1848-1852 President of the Provisional Government of the Republic Jacques Charles Dupont de l'Eure (24 February 1848 The 2007 French presidential election, the ninth of the Fifth French Republic was held to elect the successor to Jacques Chirac as president of France This is a list of Co-Princes of Andorra. The Principality of Andorra, in the Pyrenees Mountains on the French – Spanish border Joan Enric Vives i Sicília (born July 24, 1949 in Barcelona, Spain) is the current Bishop of Urgell, a Roman Catholic Philippe Séguin OQ (born April 21, 1943) is a former French Politician, and is now first president of France's Cour The Rally for the Republic ( French: Rassemblement pour la République, RPR) was a French Right-wing Political party Michèle Jeanne Honorine Alliot-Marie (born 10 September 1946) is the French Minister of the Interior and Overseas Territories she is the first woman to Alain Marie Juppé (born 15 August 1945 is a French right-wing politician who served as Prime Minister of France from 1995 to 1997 under President Jacques Chirac Patrick Devedjian (born on 26 August 1944 in Fontainebleau) is a French politician Jean-Pierre Raffarin (born 3 August 1948 is a French conservative Politician and senator for Vienne. Jean-Claude Gaudin (born October 8, 1939) is a French politician Pierre Méhaignerie (born on May 4, 1939, in Balazé, Ille-et-Vilaine) is a French Politician. The President of the French Republic (Président de la République française colloquially referred to in English as the President of France, is France 's elected Events 1077 - Walk to Canossa: The Excommunication of Henry IV Holy Roman Emperor is lifted Year 1955 ( MCMLV) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link displays the 1955 Gregorian calendar) Paris (ˈpærɨs in English; in French) is the Capital of France and the country's largest city This article is about the country For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic France topics.

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