Post for Sarko Son Sparks Howls of Protest

Law student tapped to run huge, lucrative business district
By Jason Farago,  Newser Staff
Posted Oct 13, 2009 4:32 AM CDT
Post for Sarko Son Sparks Howls of Protest
French President Nicolas Sarkozy shaking hands with his son Jean Sarkozy during a commemorative ceremony at the Mont Valerien memorial in Suresnes, west of Paris.   (AP Photo/Chales Platiau, pool, File)

It's not every day that a 23-year-old law student is tapped to manage the largest office park in Europe, but when you are Jean Sarkozy, anything's possible. The son of the French president, who already has a local government post, has the ruling party's official backing to run La Défense, the massive collection of office buildings in west Paris, despite shock and disgust from right and left. Critics have called the move worthy of a "banana republic," but Sarko junior insists: "I am not more legitimate than other candidates but nor am I less legitimate." (More Jean Sarkozy stories.)

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