Paris - Nearly 7,500 people living in the Paris suburb of La Defence have signed a petition asking the 23-year-old son of President Nicolas Sarkozy not to accept the post of head of the public body in charge of developing the region, the online edition of the weekly Le Point reported Monday.

"To head such an establishment requires competence and experience," the petition reads. "Jean Sarkozy, we ask you to finish your law studies and undertake several training periods in companies... before, perhaps, one day, who knows, re-applying for this post."

The petition was part of a widespread outcry provoked by the announcement last Thursday that Jean Sarkozy was a candidate to become the new president of the board of directors of the Public Body for the Development of La Défense
(EPAD).

Socialist Segolene Royal, the losing candidate in the 2007 presidential elections, charged that young Sarkozy's candidacy was based purely on his family ties.

"If (Jean Sarkozy) did not have the name he does, would he be where he is today?" she said.

Situated on the western edge of Paris, La Defence is the largest purpose-built business district in Europe, a popular tourist destination and home to more than 20,000 residents. More than 150,000 people work there every day.

The current head of EPAD's board of directors, Sarkozy ally Patrick Devedjian, is leaving the post because of his age, 65. The elder Sarkozy himself held the position from April 2005 to December 2006.

"Are we in a republic?" Royal asked. In a republic, people are placed according to their abilities, "not because of their names," she added.

Another losing presidential candidate from 2007, centrist Francois Bayrou, told Le Monde that young Sarkozy's candidacy to such an important post was "a sign that all the solid pillars on which our country was built, in terms of principles, decency, reason, are tottering and crumbling."

Bayrou concluded: "This recalls the Roman Empire."

Jean Sarkozy, who last year was elected head of the region of Hauts-de-Seine, one of the richest in the country, defended his candidacy by saying that in his elected post he "knows all the issues that are of importance to the region."

His candidacy must be officially submitted to the general council of Hauts-de-Sein on October 23. The next meeting of the EPAD board of directors is scheduled on December 4. (dpa)