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 fits the 19,000 € quoted to the press in early 2008. Using the pay grades starting from 1 July 2009, this amounts to a gross monthly pay of 21,131 €. The salary and the residence stipend are taxable for income tax. The official residence and office of the president is the Élysée Palace in Paris. Other presidential residences include: There are four living former French presidents: According to French law, Former Presidents have guaranteed lifetime pension defined according to the pay grade of the Councillors of State, a courtesy diplomatic passport, and, according to the French Constitution (Article 56), membership