However a challenge to the law by the conservative UMP party was filed with the Constitutional Council following the vote.

Sarkozy's UMP party used the song on several occasions, before offering the band a €1 gesture.

Since Villepin's UMP party had an absolute majority in the Assembly, there was no chance that such a motion could be adopted.

A former member of the UDF political party, he has since joined the UMP party.

The motion was voted down, predictably, because the UMP ruling party had an absolute majority in the Assembly.

Despite the very low popularity of President Sarkozy, the UMP party largely won the European elections in May 2009.

In January, the UMP party will choose its candidate in a primary for the first time.

However, Nicolas Sarkozy was chosen to represent the centre-right UMP party.

He and other politicians from the UMP party decided to campaign on their own ticket.

He became deputy secretary general of the UMP party, the party supporting Jacques Chirac, then spokesperson in 2003.