Sarko quote voted 'most hilarious'

A FORMER advisor to Nicolas Sarkozy has won an award for "most hilarious quote" of recent months - beating competition from Arnaud Montebourg, Alain Juppé and Nadine Morano.

The Prix Press Club Humour et Politique has been awarded every four months since 1988 by a group of political sketch-writers and humorists.

Henri Guaino, an MP for the Yvelines, came first with his assertion that "if it were not for Nicolas Sarkozy, there would be no more democracy in France, in Europe and in the world".

Former primer minister Alain Juppé, took second place. The mayor of Bordeaux, who was banned from public office for a year in 2004 for a fake jobs scandal at Paris city hall, is quoted as saying: "In politics, you're never finished with. Look at me."

Industrial renewal minister Arnaud Montebourg came third with: "I believe Nicolas Sarkozy will return - but in handcuffs."

Fourth and fifth went to UMP politicians Nadine Morano and Valérie Pécresse. Morano, speaking about a rise in mobile phone snatching, said: "That didn't exist before mobile phones existed."

Pécresse finishes the top five league table with: "We need an Angela Merkel in France, but it could be a man."

The judges also singled out for praise a quote from president François Hollande, who said: "When things are going well, we should remind ourselves that it won't last. And when things go badly, you could either think that it could get worse still, or that it won't last."