Paris, Oct. 23 The withdrawal of Nicolas Sarkozy's 23-year old son from a race to chair a 100-million-pound-a-year public agency amid nepotism allegations has become a cause of humiliation for the French President. ean Sarkozy, a second-year undergraduate student who has been a county councillor for 18 months, said he had reached this decision after listening to the outrage that had surrounded his imminent promotion.

"A lot of it was excessive, a lot of it true. I do not want a victory stained by doubt," Times Online quoted Jean, as saying.e, however, said he would stand for election to the board of Epad, the development corporation of La D?fense, the biggest European business district.

Sarkozy was expected to appoint Jean to the board on December 7.

Some believe that Sarkozy's devotion to his son is a symptom of guilt over the way he neglected his two children after he divorced his first wife.

The opposition has accused Sarkozy for behaving like a monarch in promoting his son, who has no work experience, to the powerful public post. ean's quitting the race was especially painful for Sarkozy because he had insisted until yesterday that nothing would stop the promotion of his son to a post which he said he deserved.

Opposition leaders rejoiced after Jean's partial withdrawal.

"This is a big victory for all those who rose up against nepotism," said Nadine Garcia, of the Communist Party. (ANI)