Sarkozy’s ex-wife seeks court gag on book

NICOLAS SARKOZY’S ex-wife Cecilia asked a Paris court yesterday to block the release of a book in which the former first lady is quoted as describing the French president as a philanderer and uncaring father.

Written by journalist Anna Bitton, the book, Cecilia was due to hit bookshops this week, days after Mr Sarkozy all but confirmed his engagement to Italian ex-supermodel and singer Carla Bruni.

It is one of three books on Cecilia being released this week, once again putting the spotlight on Mr Sarkozy’s personal life at a time when the president’s approval rating has slumped.

The former first lady, whose divorce from Mr Sarkozy was announced in October, assails the president’s entourage as a “gang of young guys, drunk on power, who take themselves for the princes of Paris”.

“Nicolas is a philanderer,” Cecilia is quoted as saying in the book, excerpts of which were published in the weekly Nouvel Observateur.

“Nicolas is stingy: a man who loves no one, not even his children.”

Married to Mr Sarkozy for 11 years, Cecilia said he had a “real behavioural problem”.

After hearing arguments from Cecilia’s lawyers, the Paris civil court said it would render a decision today.

The lawyers demanded a full injunction on the book’s release and fines of €200,000 per copy that becomes public.

A close aide to Mr Sarkozy said Cecilia had denied making the comments and took a swipe at the media for “getting completely out of hand” with its coverage of Mr Sarkozy’s personal travails.

“We are now saying he doesn’t love his children. Can you not see where this is leading?” said Roger Karoutchi, the secretary of state for liaison with parliament.

Mr Karoutchi defended Mr Sarkozy, saying he has an affectionate and close bond with his 10-year-old Louis, born from his marriage to Cecilia.

Mr Sarkozy also has two sons, Pierre, 22, and Jean, 21, from his first marriage to Marie-Dominique Culioli.

In a statement, Cecilia said she had “asked her lawyers to take any necessary action to ensure her rights are protected with regard to the remarks are attributed to her” in the book.

But Ms Bitton, who has known Cecilia for some years, said she was “very surprised and regretted” her decision to try to block the release.

“The book is based on the long relationship we have developed over the years as part of my journalistic work,” she said.