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Sarkozy son seeks to run for regional post

Other News Materials 19 February 2008 16:26 (UTC +04:00)

(dpa) - A son of French President Nicolas Sarkozy is manoeuvering to become candidate for the post of councillor of the departement, or region, of Hauts-de-Seine just outside Paris, the daily Le Figaro reported Tuesday on its web site.

According to the report, 21-year-old Jean Sarkozy has apparently cut a deal with the newly named candidate for mayor of Neuilly-sur- Seine, Jean-Cristophe Fromantin, to present himself for the election on March 9.

Jean Sarkozy was instrumental in toppling the former candidate from the UMP party, presidential spokesman David Martinon, for that post. Nicolas Sarkozy was mayor of Neuilly for 19 years.

The secretary-general of the UMP, Patrick Devedjian, had last week ruled out any possibility that young Sarkozy could run for his father's former post or be part of Fromantin's slate of candidates, saying, "In a republic, jobs are earned through merit, and through work, not through inheritance."

It was not clear from Tuesday's report if young Sarkozy's attempt to run for this more modest position has been approved by his father or by the UMP.

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