Nicolas Sarkozy is a French politician who was President of France from 2007 to 2012. Prior to this, he took up various political positions, starting off by being city councillor of Neuilly-sur Seine. Next, he was appointed as the mayor, a position he served for about two decades. It was due to his charismatic appeal and political innovativeness that he climbed up the ladder speedily than his contemporaries. He was the Minister of Interior and Finance during the Jacques Chirac reign and soon became the leader of the Union for a Popular Movement (UMP). In the 2007 presidential elections, he was the top contender and won against Socialist leader Segelone Royal. He brought about numerous changes during his rule including re-building ties with the United States. Interestingly, unlike his predecessors, he was the first to actively intervene in domestic matters and brought an end to the Bastille Day tradition which was initiated by Napoleon in 1802. Sarkozy is the proud recipient of numerous honors, including top French honours, such as, Grand Cross of Legion of Honor and Grand Cross of National Order of Merit. To know more about his life and profile, read on.