Sarkozy wordt leider van Chirac's regeringspartij UMP (en)

Nicolas Sarkozy, the outgoing French finance minister, has been confirmed as head of the UMP - President Jacques Chirac's governing party.

The centre-right party which was grounded by Mr Chirac 28 years ago was passed into the hands of Mr Sarkozy at a lavish ceremony which French newspapers have likened to an American Party Convention.

The former finance minister won the party leadership ballot with 85 percent of the vote.

Mr Sarkozy, who once had Mr Chirac as his mentor, is expected to use the leadership of the Union for Popular Movement (UMP) as a platform for a Presidency bid in 2007.

Relations between the two men have been icy since Mr Sarkozy, a former protégé of the French President, backed away from supporting Mr Chirac in 1995 and supported Edouard Balladur in the first round of voting for the presidential elections instead.

"I am ready to carry your energy, I am ready to embody your hopes. I am ready as I probably have ever been", he told a crowd of 40,000 party faithful.

The 49-year old has already made his feelings on certain controversial topics clear. He believes that Turkey should not become a full member of the European Union.

"I want Turkey to be associated with Europe but not integrated into the European Union", said Mr Sarkozy on Sunday (28 November) playing directly to the large section of the French population who are against Turkish EU membership.

He also spoke out in favour of the Anglo-Saxon economic model.

President Chirac did not attend the ceremony but was represented by his wife Bernadette.