French President Nicolas Sarkozy is suing a company that sells voodoo dolls in his image along with pins to stick in them and a satirical biography, court officials said Thursday.
The same company also sells a similar kit with a doll resembling Socialist standard-bearer Segolene Royal, whom Sarkozy beat in last year's presidential election.
The Sarkozy and Royal dolls have slogans and quotes from the politicians printed on various parts of their bodies. They have been on sale since the start of the month and at 13 euros apiece.
Sarkozy's lawyer, arguing that the president had the exclusive right to his image, had earlier called on the makers to withdraw the dolls from sale, but the company refused to do so.
The president this year sued the Irish low cost airline Ryanair for using his image in an ad.
Raymond
***UPDATE ON STORY***
***UPDATE ON STORY***
A French judge has rejected President Nicolas Sarkozy's attempt to stop sales of a "voodoo doll" in his image.
Dismissing the case, the Paris judge said the doll was "within the authorised limits of free expression and the right to humour".
Mr Sarkozy's lawyer said the president would appeal against the decision.
The doll comes with pins which users can stick into memorable quotes from the president printed on the doll, such as "work more to earn more".
Mr Sarkozy took the makers of the kit - publishing company K&B - to the courts after it went on sale on 9 October. His lawyer said Mr Sarkozy had "exclusive and absolute rights" over his own image.
The company refused to stop selling the kit, saying Mr Sarkozy's reaction was "totally disproportionate".
The case has attracted a fair amount of mockery in France and boosted sales of the kit, says the BBC's Alasdair Sandford in Paris.
K&B also released a similar doll of Segolene Royal, Mr Sarkozy's rival in the presidential elections last year.
She has decided not to take action against K&B, saying: "I have a sense of humour."
This is Mr Sarkozy's sixth legal action since he was elected last year, but it is the first case the courts have rejected.
