Nicolas Sarkozy has demanded the withdrawal from French bookshops of a voodoo doll in his image and a set of pins that are being sold with a manual on how to put the evil eye on the President.

Thierry Herzog, the presidential lawyer, has told the K&B publishing firm that if it fails to halt sales of its joke voodoo kit, Mr Sarkozy will sue them for usurping his image.

The threat is the latest in a series of legal actions taken by Mr Sarkozy to protect his image, in a break with the tradition under which French presidents have eschewed litigation against their detractors. Last week “Super Sarko” sued Yves Bertrand, the former chief of the police intelligence service, for circulating tales about his sex life and finances.

Nicolas Sarkozy, the Voodoo Manual, by Yaël Rolognese, is supposed to be satire. “Thanks to spells concocted by Yaël Rolognese, a witchcraft specialist, you can put the bad eye on Sarkozy and stop him causing more damage,” says the publicity for the kit, which also includes a satirical biography.

Famous quotes from and references to the “Hyperpresident” are printed on parts of the doll’s anatomy, with the invitation to plant one of the twelve free pins in them. They include “Work more to earn more”, and “Get lost, loser”, his words to a bystander who refused to shake his hand last year.

The doll - 20,000 are in circulation - is matched by another featuring Ségolène Royal, the Socialist whom Mr Sarkozy defeated in last year’s presidential election. Politicians gave a mixed reaction to the doll, with some MPs calling it harmless fun but others denouncing it as bad taste, dangerous and even “obscene”.

K&B has refused to obey the presidential order to remove the voodoo kits from the shops. “It is totally disproportionate given the humorous aspect of the project and the fact that Nicolas Sarkozy and Ségolène Royal are political, public figures,” the company said.

Ms Royal’s lawyer told Le Monde that her voodoo effigy was an “insult to her human diginity” and that she was considering legal action too.

Other presidents, such as the late François Mitterrand, have used dirty tricks such as tax audits and illegal phone-tapping against media troublemakers but they kept a dignified distance from lawyers. In January, Mr Sarkozy sued Ryanair for using his image in a jocular advertisement. He suedLe Nouvel Observateurlast spring and has started an action for breach of privacy and other offences against Mr Bertrand after a magazine leaked diaries in which he had recorded damaging tittle-tattle about the President and other public figures.

Painful phrases

170%The rise in presidential salary and expenses after Mr Sarkozy took office

Casse-toi, pauvre con Get lost, poor sod - his words to a bystander who refused to shake his hand

Travailler plus pour gagner plus His slogan: “Work more to earn more”

Immigration choisie Selective immigration, one of Mr Sarkozy’s controversial policies

Racaille Hoodlums, the term he applied to youths from immigrant estates during his election campaign

Vol de Stylo Theft of fountain pen: refers to the false allegation that Mr Sarkozy pocketed the pen with which he signed an agreement in Bulgaria last year

Test ADN DNA test - what applicants to immigrate from outside the EU can be required to submit to under a new law

TextosThe phone text messages to which Mr Sarkozy is allegedly addicted

Tu aimes ou tu la quittes Love it or leave it, referring to France. There is no record of him using the words

Vodka Refers to a false report that he was drunk at a press conference in 2007 after a meeting with President Putin

Paquet Fiscal The package of tax breaks for the better-off which he passed after his election

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