MGMT Sue French President

MGMT are suing French president Nicolas Sarkozy for copyright infringement because they say he's been using their song "Kids" without permission.

The band claim the song has turned up in online videos. Sarkozy previously said his Union For A Popular Movement party had used it at their national congress and admitted it was a mistake to do so. He offered MGMT one Euro ($1.59 Canadian) of compensation for the blunder, but Ben Goldwasser and Andrew VanWyngarden rejected it.

"This offer is disrespectful of the rights of artists and authors," MGMT lawyer Isabelle Wekstein said in a statement. "It is insulting. We are dealing with acts of counterfeiting, an infringement of intellectual property."

Sarkozy is said to have paid a 53 Euro fee to SACEM, the French music licensing body, to use the song. Wekstein argues it isn't enough because the party has repeatedly used the song in their videos.

Ironically, Sarkozy's party is pushing a new copyright law that would impose tougher penalties for downloading, file-sharing and internet piracy. Sarkozy is also married to singer/songwriter Carla Bruni.

Singer/songwriter Jackson Browne announced he was suing 2008 U.S. Republican presidential nominee John McCain for using "Running On Empty" in a web video without permission. A judge declined to dismiss Browne's lawsuit last week, which means it could go to trial.

Jon Bon Jovi spoke out against U.S. Republican vice-presidential nominee Sarah Palin for using Bon Jovi's "Who Says You Can't Go Home" at rallies last year.

MGMT were named best new band and "Time To Pretend" was voted best track at Wednesday night's NME Shockwaves Awards.