PARIS, April 22 (Xinhua) -- Nicolas Sarkozy has qualified for a second round in the French presidential race. Candidate of the right-wing Union for a Popular Movement (UMP), he is going to face Socialist Segolene Royal. Following is a brief introduction to the man.

    Born on Jan. 28, 1955 in Paris, Sarkozy is a son of a Hungarian immigrant and a French mother.

    Sarkozy became a lawyer after passing the bar exams. He had previously obtained a bachelor's degree in law from the Universite Paris X Nanterre.

    Sarkozy entered politics in 1977 when he was just 22 years old.He first became councillor and then mayor of the town of Neuilly-sur-Seine, in a suburb of Paris.

    He was appointed interior minister by President Jacques Chirac in the cabinet of Jean-Pierre Raffarin although he betrayed Chirac-- his protege -- in the 1995 presidential elections.

    He later became finance minister, but was appointed again as interior minister in June 2005, a post he had held until March 2007.

    Since November 2004, he has been president of the UMP.

    Sarkozy, nicknamed "Sarko," is known for his toughness as interior minister, who is responsible for law enforcement.

    He takes a hardline position on immigration and on the unemployed. He is also known for his admiration of the United States.

    Sarkozy is married to Cecilia Sarkozy and they have a son. ¡¡

Backgrounder: French presidential elections
  Backgrounder: A list of candidates in French presidential elections 
  Backgrounder: Nicolas Sarkozy, frontrunner in French presidential elections
  Backgrounder: Segolene Royal -- strong woman contender
  Backgrounder: Francois Bayrou, threat to "Sarko-Sego" scenario