New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg recently cited similar behavioral tendencies as a reason for his attempt to restrict the size of large, sugary soft drinks.

WSJ: Overeating: The Psychology of Small Packages

Accused of authoritarian tendencies, he recently announced a series of democratic reforms.

ECONOMIST: The perils and persistence of displacement

Mr Sarkozy told a philosophy magazine recently that paedophilia and suicidal tendencies were probably genetic traits, provoking sharp criticism from Ms Royal and Mr Bayrou.

ECONOMIST: France's presidential race