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Former supermodel CARLA BRUNI and her fiance, French President NICOLAS SARKOZY, are suing a budget Irish airline after the firm used a photograph of the couple in an advertisement without their authorisation.
The couple has filed a lawsuit against Ryanair following the publication of the print advert in a French newspaper featuring the 40-year-old beauty and Sarkozy smiling dreamily. The image, which was shown in Le Parisien on Monday (28Jan08), was accompanied by a caption which read: "With Ryanair, my whole family can come to my wedding." In legal papers filed earlier this week (ends01Feb08) in a French court, the couple’s attorney Thierry Herzog claimed that Bruni had "never spoken of a future wedding" taking place before 31 January (08) - the end date of the Ryanair sale - nor had she revealed their nuptials "could take place in one of the destinations offered by Ryanair".
And while a spokesman for the Elysee Palace - the French president’s official residence - has branded the use of the picture "unacceptable", the airline’s marketing director for France, Matthieu Glasson, has argued the advert shows the couple "in a positive light".
He adds, "You could even say that it helps the president by showing him as close to the people, living a similar life, using the same brands." The complaint is due to be heard by a Paris court on Thursday (31Jan08).
Bruni is seeking 500,000 euros ($740,500/£370,250) in compensation for violation of the couple’s right to privacy, while Sarkozy is suing for the symbolic sum of just one euro ($1.47/£0.73) in damages.

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