When a French-Senegalese author became the first black woman to win France's most prestigious literary award, it seemed like the perfect example of the model of integration championed by Nicolas Sarkozy, the president. Unfortunately for Mr Sarkozy, Marie NDiaye, who won the Prix Goncourt, for Trois Femmes Puissantes (Three Strong Women), a story about the interweaving lives of three women set in France and Senegal, also has strong opinions about how life in France has changed since he was elected in 2007.An outspoken interview she gave to cultural magazine Les Inrockuptibles last summer, before she won the award, has resurfaced after it was attacked by Eric Raoult, a deputy from the governing centre-right UMP party, last week. Ms NDiaye, who moved to Berlin just after the 2007 election, told the magazine she left France partly because of Mr Sarkozy's election. She described France as "hideous", and went on to say the country now had the "atmosphere of a police state". She added: "For some time now, I have found the climate in France to be quite depressing and morose."
Unfortunately for Mr Sarkozy, Marie NDiaye, who won the Prix Goncourt, for Trois Femmes Puissantes (Three Strong Women), a story about the interweaving lives of three women set in France and Senegal, also has strong opinions about how life in France has changed since he was elected in 2007.
An outspoken interview she gave to cultural magazine Les Inrockuptibles last summer, before she won the award, has resurfaced after it was attacked by Eric Raoult, a deputy from the governing centre-right UMP party, last week.
Ms NDiaye, who moved to Berlin just after the 2007 election, told the magazine she left France partly because of Mr Sarkozy's election. She described France as "hideous", and went on to say the country now had the "atmosphere of a police state". She added: "For some time now, I have found the climate in France to be quite depressing and morose."
At least feudalism was honest about repression. Heck, the way things are going in europe and America we are gonna think of Louis 14th as something to aspire to. keep to the Fen Causeway
