Nicolas Sarkozy's Biography

In May 2007, Nicolas Sarkozy became the President of France after beating the socialist Segolene Royal, having gained 53% of the vote.

Nicolas Sarkozy's father was a Hungarian immigrant who left the family when Nicolas was still young. His mother was French of Greek Jewish descent. Sarkozy was baptised a Roman Catholic.

Nicolas Sarkozy trained as a lawyer and qualified as a barrister in 1981.

In 1983, when he was 28, he became Mayor of Neuilly-sur-Seine, a position he held until 2002.

In 1988, Nicolas Sarkozy was elected a National Assembly deputy and went on to hold various government positions including Minister for the Budget, Minister for Communication, and Government Spokesman.

On 7 May 2002, Sarkozy was appointed Minister of the Interior, Internal Security and Local Freedoms.

On 1 April 2004, Sarkozy was made Minister for the Economy, Finance and Industry. On 28 November 2004, he was elected Chairman of the Union pour un Mouvement Populaire (UMP).

On 2 June 2005, he was appointed Minister of the Interior and Town and Country Planning.

Less than two years later in May 2007, Sarkozy took office as France's President.

Just a few months later, in October 2007, Nicolas Sarkozy divorced his second wife former model and public relations executive Cecilia Ciganer-Albeniz.

On 2 February 2008, Nicolas Sarkozy married model and singer Carla Bruni. Her former boyfriends include Mick Jagger.

On 23 April 2012, Sarkozy came second in the first round of voting in the presidential election with 27.1% of the vote, compared to the Socialist candidate Francois Hollande, who gained 28.6% of the vote.

On 6 May 2012, Nicolas Sarkozy lost out to Francois Hollande, who became French President.

In November 2016, Nicolas Sarkozy was knocked out of a primary to choose the French presidential candidate of the centre-right Republican party.

In February 2017, it was revealed that Nicolas Sarkozy was to stand trial after accusations that his party had falsified accounts. He was found guilty.

Nicolas Sarkozy, who is 5ft 5in, has a pet chihuahua called Big.