French first lady Carla Bruni may be popular with the people of France but one of that country's most influential political journals has given her a sobriquet - "modern-day Marie Antoinette". (Watch)

Marie Antoinette was the ill-fated wife of King Louis XVI who was beheaded during the French Revolution which started in 1789.

Under the headline "Enough is enough", 'Marianne' has lambasted the former Italian supermodel-turned-chanteuse for her continual preening and showing off. This is followed by everything from nude pictures of Bruni - released by Christie's auction house on the eve of her state visit to UK - to intimate interviews in which she discusses everything from her love life to her Left-wing political instincts.

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Carla Bruni.

According to the journal, at a time when French president Nicolas Sarkozy is trying to reform his country with a right-wing agenda, such images and meandering comments have made his wife look distinctly foolish, drawing comparisons with Marie Antoinette.

Like Marie Antoinette before her, Bruni considers herself to be one of the most beautiful woman in Europe, the journal has said. Nicolas Domenach, the author of the article, wrote: "The president himself seems to be saying at every opportunity 'Isn't she beautiful, isn't she clever, doesn't she sing well?' And the public are getting tired of it."

The union could be a metaphor for a harmonious, borderless Europe. The real Europe is a cacophonous and conflicted place, though, as the Sarkozys will soon discover: On Tuesday, they would also become Europe's public face, as France takes over the presidency of the 27-nation European Union.