Sarkozy accused of acting like a bygone 'monarch'

Paris: President Nicolas Sarkozy has been accused of ruling France like a "monarch from another age".

The criticism followed his alleged role in the removal of the top state representative and a police chief from a region after protesters slightly disrupted a visit by Sarkozy.

The president was reportedly outraged that Jean Charbonniaud, the prefect in the northern La Manche region and Philippe Bourgade, its police chief, had not deployed enough officers to control 3,000 protesters when he visited the town of Saint Lo this month. Faint whistles were heard as Sarkozy gave a New Year's address to educational workers. Afterwards, he reportedly left the venue furious, exclaiming: "Fire him!"

Michele Alliot-Marie, the interior minister, said the decision to replace the two men was linked to their "not completely adequate" handling of the situation.

Charbonniaud was this week appointed to a post in Paris in a move widely regarded as a demotion. A spokesman for Sarkozy's UMP party said: "High-level civil servants must be accountable when there are faults, errors."

However, the decision sparked a torrent of criticism from across the political spectrum.

"It is scandalous that a representative of the state can be used like a Kleenex," said Jean-Francois Legrand, who is a local UMP council leader.

Cecile Duflot, the Green Party national secretary, said: "When [Sarkozy] moves around the country, he would like to stay living in a bubble like those monarchs or dictators from another age."

Francois Bayrou, the leader of the centrist Modem party, added: "This is once again an arbitrary punishment, once again the fait du prince."

Bourgade said: "I have nothing to be ashamed of over what happened."