Book reveals Sarkozy's 'secret hospital visit'

French President Nicolas Sarkozy was briefly admitted to hospital in secret in October for treatment of an abscess in his throat, the authors of a new book said today.

The revelation was potentially embarrassing for a leader who promised, in the run-up to his May election, to be open about his health and to make public the results of regular check-ups.

Mr Sarkozy's office did not immediately return a call seeking comment.

The book's authors, Denis Demonpion and Laurent Leger, say Mr Sarkozy was briefly admitted to Val de Grace hospital for treatment of a throat infection and abscess on October 21. Doctors gave him antibiotics intravenously, they said.

Mr Demonpion told France-Info radio that "doctors at the Elysee Palace could not treat" his ailment, and "he was hospitalised at Val de Grace in the greatest secrecy".

The authors say the move came three days after the presidential palace announced Mr Sarkozy's divorce from his second wife, Cecilia.

Their book is called Cecilia: La Face Cachee de l'ex-Premiere Dame (Cecilia: The Hidden Side of the ex-First Lady), and the authors say they came across details of the president's health while researching the divorce.

The question of leaders' health is a sensitive one in France. Former President Francois Mitterrand, who led France from 1981-1995 and died of prostate cancer just months after leaving office, ordered his doctor to systematically falsify his health bulletins for 11 years.

The French public was informed of former President Georges Pompidou's bone marrow cancer only after he died of it, while in office, on April 2, 1974.