AMID mounting speculation that President Nicolas Sarkozy is set to announce a divorce, legal experts have warned that his wife, Cécilia, could face obstacles in any dispute over a settlement because of his judicial immunity as head of state.

French media reports last Friday claimed that Sarkozy, 52, was about to issue a statement announcing the end of his marriage to Cécilia, 49, who has largely vanished from public view in recent weeks.

Since she helped negotiate the release in July of five Bulgarian medical staff convicted of infecting children with Aids in Libya, Cécilia’s only appearance has been at the funeral of her first husband last month.

“From a legal point of view, even if Cécilia wants to launch divorce proceedings, she can’t,” said Guy Carcassone, an expert on the French constitution. Under a law passed last February, the president enjoys immunity from civil cases.

Sarkozy, worth £1.75m, and Cécilia have a son, Louis, 10, and two children each from their first marriages. Sarkozy’s spokesman refused to comment on “press rumours”.

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