Nicolas Sarkozy, the president of France, is well positioned to be the dominant political figure, not just in his own country, but in western Europe. He has energy, charisma, intelligence, an international profile and a strong political mandate at home.

Unfortunately, it also looks as if the French president suffers from a dangerous flaw that threatens to undermine his political standing. Mr Sarkozy’s problem is that he seems to be almost incapable of drawing a firm line between the presidential and the personal.