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Nicolas Sarkozy

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Nicolas Sarkozy
Nicolas Sarkozy in 2010.jpg
Sarkozy in 2010
President of France
In office
16 May 2007 – 15 May 2012
Prime Minister Dominique de Villepin
François Fillon
Preceded by Jacques Chirac
Succeeded by François Hollande
Additional positions
(see § Offices and distinctions)
Personal details
Born
Nicolas Paul Stéphane Sarközy de Nagy-Bocsa

(1955-01-28) 28 January 1955 (age 70)
Paris, France
Political party The Republicans (2015–present)
Other political
affiliations		 Union of Democrats for the Republic (1974–1976)
Rally for the Republic (1976–2002)
Union for a Popular Movement (2002–2015)
Spouses
Marie-Dominique Culioli
​
​
(m. 1982; div. 1996)​
Cécilia Ciganer-Albéniz
​
​
(m. 1996; div. 2007)​
​
(m. 2008)​
Children 4, including Jean and Louis
Education Paris West University Nanterre La Défense (MA, DEA)
Sciences Po (attended)
Signature

Nicolas Paul Stéphane Sarközy de Nagy-Bocsa (born January 28, 1955) is a French politician. He served as the President of France from 2007 to 2012.

Born in Paris, Nicolas Sarkozy has a diverse family background. He was the mayor of Neuilly-sur-Seine for many years, from 1983 to 2002. Before becoming president, he held several important government roles. These included Minister of the Budget and later Minister of the Interior and Minister of Finances. He also led a major political party, the Union for a Popular Movement (UMP), from 2004 to 2007.

He won the 2007 French presidential election against Ségolène Royal. During his time as president, he faced major global challenges. These included the 2008 financial crisis and the European sovereign debt crisis. He also played a role in international events like the Russo-Georgian War and the Arab Spring. President Sarkozy introduced important changes, such as reforms for French universities and the pension system. In 2008, he married Italian-French singer-songwriter Carla Bruni. In the 2012 French presidential election, he was defeated by François Hollande. After leaving office, he returned to lead his party, which was renamed The Republicans in 2015. He later retired from public life after the 2016 presidential primary.

After his presidency, Mr. Sarkozy faced legal investigations and court cases. These cases were related to allegations of improper campaign funding. In 2021, he received sentences in two separate trials. In February 2024, a campaign finance sentence was revised. In September 2025, he received a five-year prison sentence following a court case concerning allegations of improper funding for his 2007 presidential campaign. He has appealed these decisions.

Early Life and Education

Nicolas Sarkozy was born in Paris on January 28, 1955. His father, Pál Sárközy de Nagy-Bócsa, was a Hungarian aristocrat. His mother, Andrée Mallah, had Greek Jewish and French Catholic roots. His parents married in 1950 and divorced in 1959.

During his childhood, his father became successful in advertising. The family lived in wealthy areas of Paris and later in Neuilly-sur-Seine. Nicolas Sarkozy has mentioned that his maternal grandfather, a strong supporter of French leader Charles de Gaulle, was a big influence on him. He also said that facing challenges in his early years helped shape who he became.

He attended the Lycée Chaptal in Paris. Later, he went to the Cours Saint-Louis de Monceau, a private Catholic school, where he earned his high school diploma in 1973.

Sarkozy then studied at the Université Paris X Nanterre. He earned a Master of Arts degree in private law and a D.E.A. degree in business law. During his university years, he was active in a right-wing student organization. After university, he attended Sciences Po but did not graduate. He then became a lawyer, specializing in business and family law.

Family Life

Sarkozy married Marie-Dominique Culioli in 1982. They had two sons, Pierre and Jean, before divorcing in 1996. He then married Cécilia Ciganer-Albéniz in 1996, and they had a son named Louis. They divorced in 2007. In 2008, he married Italian-French singer Carla Bruni, and they have a daughter, Giulia.

Starting in Politics

Nicolas Sarkozy is known for being a skilled politician and a powerful speaker. His supporters admire his energy and new ideas. He is often seen as more supportive of the United States and Israel than many other French politicians.

Mayor and Minister Roles

Sarkozy's political journey began at age 23 as a city councilor in Neuilly-sur-Seine. He soon became the mayor of Neuilly-sur-Seine in 1983, making him the youngest mayor of a large French town. He served in this role until 2002. In 1988, he was elected as a deputy in the French National Assembly.

In 1993, Nicolas Sarkozy gained national attention for his role in negotiating during a hostage crisis at a kindergarten in Neuilly. He personally engaged in talks to resolve the dangerous situation.

From 1993 to 1995, he served as Minister for the Budget and government spokesperson under Prime Minister Édouard Balladur. After Jacques Chirac won the presidential election in 1995, Sarkozy temporarily stepped away from top government roles.

He returned to government in 2002 as Minister of the Interior under Prime Minister Jean-Pierre Raffarin. In this role, he focused on law enforcement and road safety. In 2004, he became Minister of Finance for a short period.

Becoming Leader of a Major Party

In 2004, Nicolas Sarkozy became the leader of the Union for a Popular Movement (UMP) party, France's main right-wing political party. He won with a large majority of votes. As party leader, he resigned from his role as Finance Minister.

He was reappointed as Minister of the Interior in 2005. During this second term, he made strong statements regarding law enforcement and public order, especially after civil unrest in 2005. These remarks sometimes drew criticism. He also supported the creation of the French Council of the Muslim Faith to help organize the Muslim community in France.

As UMP leader, Sarkozy called for significant changes in France's economic and social policies. He suggested a simpler tax system and measures to reduce the budget deficit. He also proposed reforms to the immigration system, focusing on attracting skilled workers and selecting the best foreign students.

Presidential Election: 2007

Nicolas Sarkozy was a strong candidate for the 2007 presidential election. On January 14, 2007, his party, the UMP, officially chose him as their candidate. He won 98 percent of the votes from party members.

During his campaign, he discussed his support for policies like affirmative action and allowing more freedom for overtime work. He also supported civil unions for same-sex partners. On March 21, President Jacques Chirac publicly supported Sarkozy. To focus on his campaign, Sarkozy stepped down as Minister of the Interior on March 26.

The first round of the election was on April 22, 2007. Sarkozy came in first, and then faced Ségolène Royal in the second round. On May 6, 2007, Nicolas Sarkozy won the election with 53.06 percent of the votes. In his victory speech, he spoke about the need for France to modernize and called for national unity.

Presidency of France

Nicolas Sarkozy officially became the 23rd President of France on May 16, 2007. The transfer of power took place at the Élysée Palace in Paris. Soon after, he traveled to Berlin to meet with German Chancellor Angela Merkel.

Under his government, François Fillon became Prime Minister. President Sarkozy appointed a diverse cabinet, including Bernard Kouchner as Foreign Minister. He also appointed seven women, including Rachida Dati, the first woman of Northern African origin in a French cabinet. He created new ministries, such as the Ministry of Immigration.

L. Bush-Sarkozy 20070608-5 d-0047-515h
Sarkozy greets U.S. First Lady Laura Bush in Germany, June 2007.

President Sarkozy changed a long-standing tradition of granting amnesty for traffic tickets and releasing prisoners on Bastille Day. He also became the first French President to address the National Assembly of Quebec in 2008. He spoke about the strong friendship between France and Canada, and the special bond with Quebec.

Key Actions as President

Early in his presidency, Sarkozy began talks with Colombian president Álvaro Uribe and the FARC group. These discussions aimed to secure the release of hostages, including Franco-Colombian politician Ingrid Betancourt. He also helped secure the return of Bulgarian nurses from Libya in 2007.

Nicolas Sarkozy Bastille Day 2008 n2
Nicolas Sarkozy and General Jean-Louis Georgelin, Chief of the Defence Staff, reviewing troops during the Bastille Day 2008 military parade on the Champs-Élysées, Paris

In terms of environmental policy, Sarkozy set a goal to reduce French carbon dioxide emissions by 50 percent by 2050. This was part of an effort to combat global warming. France was later ranked as a leading country in environmental respect among the G20 nations.

Economically, his party won a majority in the 2007 legislative election. His government reduced taxes, including the inheritance tax. They also made changes to work-hour regulations, allowing more flexibility for overtime. However, during the 2008 financial crisis, Sarkozy supported more government involvement in the economy.

His government also introduced constitutional reforms in 2008. These changes included a two-term limit for the presidency and gave more power to the parliament.

International Relations

Nicolas Sarkozy and Dilma Rousseff (2011)
President Nicolas Sarkozy with President of Brazil Dilma Rousseff

President Sarkozy aimed to strengthen ties with the United Kingdom and the United States. However, he opposed the expansion of NATO to Ukraine and Georgia in 2008, aligning with Germany.

During France's presidency of the EU Council in 2008, Sarkozy worked to achieve approval for a progressive energy package. This package aimed to define climate change goals for the EU. He also led the EU into a partnership with China on climate issues. In December 2008, his meeting with the Dalai Lama led to China postponing a summit.

In 2009, Sarkozy called for a ceasefire plan during the 2008–2009 Israel–Gaza conflict. This plan, proposed with Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak, aimed to deliver aid to Gaza and discuss border security.

Paris Summit for the Support to the Libyan People 04
Sarkozy at the Paris Summit of 19 March 2011, which marked the start of a military intervention in Libya

In March 2011, Sarkozy played a key role in the 2011 Libyan Civil War. He was among the first world leaders to call for the resignation of Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi. France actively engaged against Gaddafi's forces. On March 17, 2011, the United Nations Security Council adopted a resolution, at France's request. This allowed for a "no-fly zone" over Libya and measures to protect civilians. On March 19, Sarkozy announced France's military intervention in Libya.

2012 Presidential Campaign

Meeting Royal 2007 02 06 n11-edit1
Ségolène Royal was Sarkozy's final opponent during the 2007 campaign.

Sarkozy was one of ten candidates in the 2012 presidential election. He came in second in the first round of voting. He then faced François Hollande, the Socialist Party candidate, in the second round. Sarkozy lost the election to Hollande on May 6, 2012. He received 48.38% of the votes.

After the Presidency

After his defeat in the 2012 election, Sarkozy asked his supporters to respect Hollande's victory. He attended his last Victory in Europe Day commemoration as president. His final day as President of the French Republic was May 15.

Return to Politics

2015-03-12 18-16-27 meeting-sarkozy (cropped)
Nicolas Sarkozy's rally, Belfort, 12 March 2015

On September 19, 2014, Sarkozy announced his return to politics. He ran for chairman of the UMP party and was elected on November 29, 2014. Under his leadership, the UMP won many local elections in March 2015. In May, the party's name was changed to The Republicans. In December, The Republicans won a majority of regional elections.

In January 2016, Sarkozy published a book. In August, he announced his candidacy for the 2016 Republican presidential primary. After placing third, he supported François Fillon and indicated his retirement from politics.

Legal Challenges

Muammar al-Gaddafi at the AU summit
Former Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi.

After his presidency, Mr. Sarkozy faced legal investigations and court cases. These cases were related to allegations of improper funding for his 2007 presidential campaign. These investigations included questions about potential financial support from Libya.

In 2021, he received sentences in two separate trials related to these matters. He appealed these rulings. In February 2024, a campaign finance sentence was revised to six months in prison and six months suspended. In September 2025, he received a five-year prison sentence following a court case concerning allegations of improper funding for his 2007 presidential campaign. He has appealed this decision.

Despite his retirement from official politics, Sarkozy remained active in conservative circles. He endorsed Emmanuel Macron in the April 2022 election. In February 2023, he visited the Western Wall in Jerusalem with his family. In November 2023, he participated in a march in Paris against antisemitism.

Political Career Highlights

Governmental Functions

  • Minister of Budget and government's spokesman: 1993–1995.
  • Minister of Communication and government's spokesman: 1994–1995.
  • Minister of State, Minister of Interior, of the Internal Security and Local Freedoms: 2002–2004.
  • Minister of State, Minister of Economy, Finance and Industry: March–November 2004.
  • Minister of State, Minister of Interior and Land Planning: 2005–2007.

Electoral Mandates

  • Mayor of Neuilly-sur-Seine: 1983–2002.
  • Member of the National Assembly of France for Hauts-de-Seine: 1988–1993, 1995–2002, March–June 2005.
  • President of the General Council of Hauts-de-Seine: 2004–2007.

Political Party Leadership

Images for kids

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Nicolas Sarkozy para niños

  • Robert Bourgi
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