French President Nicolas Sarkozy’s 21-year-old son will not stand for mayor in a wealthy Paris suburb, the leader of the president’s conservative UMP party said Tuesday, putting an end to speculation about the young man’s ambitions.

Jean Sarkozy burst onto the political scene in Neuilly-sur-Seine, west of Paris, over the weekend, by publicly disavowing the candidate that his father had supported there. The candidate _ David Martinon, the president’s chief spokesman _ pulled out of the race Monday.

The surprise turnaround left France’s conservatives reeling and led many to wonder about Jean Sarkozy’s political ambitions.

Jean Sarkozy “has a lot of talent, he’s a smart and sensitive boy who loves politics,” Patrick Devedjian, secretary-general of the UMP party, told Europe-1 radio. But “his time has not come.”

“There is no monarchy in Neuilly,” Devedjian said, alluding to the fact that the president himself had long served as mayor of Neuilly, which is considered his political home base.

The political drama in Neuilly has riveted France since the weekend.

Sarkozy had sent spokesman Martinon to stand for next month’s municipal elections in Neuilly. Jean Sarkozy, the second of the president’s three sons, had often been on the campaign trail alongside Martinon.

But there were indications that Martinon’s campaign was struggling, and Jean Sarkozy and two political allies said Sunday that they were breaking ranks with him, leaving open the question of whom they would support.

Martinon dropped out of the race and offered to resign as Sarkozy’s press secretary, though the president turned down that offer.

The party said Nicolas Sarkozy was not involved in the Neuilly turnaround, but observers said it would have been difficult for his son to act without his father’s approval.

Martinon, a longtime diplomat who has never stood for an election, has long been considered close to Sarkozy’s ex-wife, Cecilia, whom the president divorced in October. Sarkozy married model and singer Carla Bruni a week ago.

The UMP chief, Devedjian, said he planned to support another candidate for Neuilly, Jean-Christophe Fromantin, an entrepreneur.