France’s former first lady, Carla Bruni-Sarkozy, is threatening legal action after an online petition asked her to repay nearly half a million euros used to fund her website while her husband was president.
A website developer started a petition asking her to repay 410,000 euros, the amount the website cost the French taxpayer from January 2011 to May 2012. As of today afternoon, the petition had already been signed by over 80,000 people.
The developer argues the site could have been maintained for much less, and wants the model-turned-singer to donate the money to charity.
Bruni-Sarkozy’s lawyer Richard Malka said today in a statement that the money only went to promote the former first lady’s official activities and she reserves the right to sue for attacks to her honour.