French President Nicolas Sarkozy has acknowledged the decision to let his son Jean seek a job managing France's top business district, the La Defense skyscraper park west of Paris, was "probably an error", a source at the French presidential palace said late on Monday. A 23-year-old second-year law student, Jean Sarkozy had announced in October that he intended to pursue a bid to chair the EPAD agency managing La Defense, home to 2,500 corporate giants such as Total and Société Générale bank. After two weeks of controversy during which critics slammed Sarkozy junior as evidence France was becoming a "banana republic" run at his father's whim, the president's son dropped the job bid. The Elysée source also alluded to a "likely cabinet reshuffling" to ostensibly take place after regional elections in March. Sports Minister Rama Yade was singled out in the statement as a minister who has had "difficulty adapting to any team."
French President Nicolas Sarkozy has acknowledged the decision to let his son Jean seek a job managing France's top business district, the La Defense skyscraper park west of Paris, was "probably an error", a source at the French presidential palace said late on Monday.
A 23-year-old second-year law student, Jean Sarkozy had announced in October that he intended to pursue a bid to chair the EPAD agency managing La Defense, home to 2,500 corporate giants such as Total and Société Générale bank. After two weeks of controversy during which critics slammed Sarkozy junior as evidence France was becoming a "banana republic" run at his father's whim, the president's son dropped the job bid.
The Elysée source also alluded to a "likely cabinet reshuffling" to ostensibly take place after regional elections in March. Sports Minister Rama Yade was singled out in the statement as a minister who has had "difficulty adapting to any team."
(Translation: the puppet is dancing on its own? ...also see yesterday's discussion.) *Lunatic*, n. One whose delusions are out of fashion.
Half way through his five-year presidential term, Nicolas Sarkozy has sank to his lowest poll score since he took office. But analysts see no serious challenger to thwart his bid for re-election in 2012.AFP - Sliding in the polls and battling dissent in his own camp, Nicolas Sarkozy is mired in mid-term blues, but analysts doubt his current woes will scupper the French president's chances of reelection. Elected two and a half years ago on a pledge to shake up France, the right-winger sank this week to his lowest poll score since taking office, his image tarred by scandals and his reforms blunted by the global downturn. Sarkozy won plaudits for his dynamic stint at the helm of the European Union last year, his shuttle diplomacy during the Russia-Georgia conflict and his perceived leadership among the Group of 20 on the economic crisis.
AFP - Sliding in the polls and battling dissent in his own camp, Nicolas Sarkozy is mired in mid-term blues, but analysts doubt his current woes will scupper the French president's chances of reelection. Elected two and a half years ago on a pledge to shake up France, the right-winger sank this week to his lowest poll score since taking office, his image tarred by scandals and his reforms blunted by the global downturn. Sarkozy won plaudits for his dynamic stint at the helm of the European Union last year, his shuttle diplomacy during the Russia-Georgia conflict and his perceived leadership among the Group of 20 on the economic crisis.
Nicolas Sarkozy has asked his wife Carla Bruni-Sarkozy to lower her public profile after complaints about her political influence on the French president, it has been claimed. Last week France's leading society magazine described Mrs Bruni-Sarkozy, 41, as the new Marie-Antoinette. Now it transpires the president has asked her to take a back seat amid a growing chorus of disapproval from his own Right-wing allies about her "luvvy" Left-wing influence. One alleged in l'Express magazine on Thursday that she was responsible for "most of the head of state's woes in this turbulent autumn".
Last week France's leading society magazine described Mrs Bruni-Sarkozy, 41, as the new Marie-Antoinette. Now it transpires the president has asked her to take a back seat amid a growing chorus of disapproval from his own Right-wing allies about her "luvvy" Left-wing influence.
One alleged in l'Express magazine on Thursday that she was responsible for "most of the head of state's woes in this turbulent autumn".
Let's see what we've had in the past few weeks:
