President of France to. He was succeeded by Nicolas Sarkozy on 16 May 2007. Following a further change, the constitutional law on the modernisation of the institutions of the Fifth Republic, 2008, a President cannot serve more than two consecutive terms. François Mitterrand and Jacques Chirac are the only Presidents to date who have served a full two terms (14 years for the former, 12 years for the latter). In order to be admitted as an official candidate, potential candidates must receive signed nominations (informally known as "parrainages", for "sponsors") from more than 500 elected officials, mostly mayors. These officials must be from
President of France receive a car with chauffeur, and the personnel in their living space were cut as well. Additionally, the number of assistants available for their use has been reduced, but a state flat or house remains available for former Presidents. Train tickets are also available if the trip is justified by the office of the former President. The security personnel around former Presidents remained unchanged. The most recent president to die was François Mitterrand (served 1981–1995) on 8 January 1996, aged 79. President of France The President of the French Republic (, ) is the executive head of state of France