Woman at side of Sarkozy, and it's not Bruni

London: The early years of his presidency are remembered as much for his women as for his politics, with a high-profile divorce and supermodel marriage.

Now, as Nicolas Sarkozy bids for a second term as France's leader, another woman has emerged at the heart of his court.

With his wife Carla Bruni being instructed to withdraw from the limelight during the campaign, Sarkozy has opted for a more practical woman to help craft a winning image.

Enter Nathalie Kosciusko-Morizet, the understated, Boho-dressed spin doctor credited with helping the president tone down his aggressive posturing.

Against all the considerable odds, and the advice of some of his closest lieutenants, it is an approach that seems to be paying off. "Sarkozy really likes her," said Brice Hortefeux, former interior minister and one of Sarkozy's closest friends.

"She's done everything possible to make things go well." Indeed, polls show that Sarkozy has managed to move from being the most unpopular president since the Second World War to being the likely winner of today's first round.

— The Telegraph Group Limited, London 2012