This article is more than 11 years old

This article is more than 11 years old

A Nicolas Sarkozy voodoo doll that became a bestselling cult classic when the president tried to have it banned is to remain on sale after a French court threw out the case today.

A judge ruled that Nicolas Sarkozy: The Voodoo Manual, which features a doll, a set of pins and a book explaining how to put the evil eye on the president, fell within the boundaries of "free expression" and the "right to humour".

The president's lawyer had argued that, like any French person, Sarkozy owned the right to his own image, which was violated by the sale of the doll.

The highly litigious president was ridiculed by his critics for launching the legal action - his sixth lawsuit since his election - and the doll instantly became a must-have.

The Socialist Ségolène Royal, who was the subject of a similar voodoo doll but didn't sue, hailed the verdict as a victory for the freedom to "caricature the world's most powerful". Royal, who once filed a legal complaint against someone who hit her with a custard pie, said she did not sue over her doll because she had a sense of humour.

The lawyer for the doll makers said he was pleased the judge had recognised the existence of a "right to humour".

It is not known whether Sarkozy will appeal.

Earlier this year, Sarkozy and Carla Bruni won a case against the low-cost Irish airline Ryanair for using their image in an advert without their permission. The single advert in a Paris newspaper showed the couple with a caption beside Bruni reading: "With Ryanair, my whole family can come to my wedding."

Sarkozy has also launched a legal case against a French company that produced novelty T-shirts bearing his name and a target sign, saying "Sarkozy Tolerance zero".