Growth in presidential spending 'seven times greater' than rest of stateSoaring French presidential expenses under Nicolas Sarkozy have come under blistering political attack - despite the absence of either duck pond or moat at the Elyseé palace. A report by an opposition MP claims the cost of running the presidency leapt by 18 per cent last year and that the cost of day-to-day expenses, such as food, jumped by more than 50 per cent to €500,000 (£426,000) a week. Less surprisingly, the cost of official visits by the hyperactive President rose by over 26 per cent. René Dosière, a Socialist deputy who has specialised in scrutinising presidential expenses for many years, accused President Sarkozy of breaking an electoral promise to make the traditionally secretive operation of the Elyseé Palace more transparent and less onerous for the taxpayer. He said that the increase in Elyseé spending in 2008 was seven times greater than the overall growth of state expenditure. "Spending restrictions imposed on all other departments, from which every state employee suffers in his daily work, do not extend to the presidency," said M. Dosière.
Soaring French presidential expenses under Nicolas Sarkozy have come under blistering political attack - despite the absence of either duck pond or moat at the Elyseé palace.
A report by an opposition MP claims the cost of running the presidency leapt by 18 per cent last year and that the cost of day-to-day expenses, such as food, jumped by more than 50 per cent to €500,000 (£426,000) a week. Less surprisingly, the cost of official visits by the hyperactive President rose by over 26 per cent.
René Dosière, a Socialist deputy who has specialised in scrutinising presidential expenses for many years, accused President Sarkozy of breaking an electoral promise to make the traditionally secretive operation of the Elyseé Palace more transparent and less onerous for the taxpayer.
He said that the increase in Elyseé spending in 2008 was seven times greater than the overall growth of state expenditure. "Spending restrictions imposed on all other departments, from which every state employee suffers in his daily work, do not extend to the presidency," said M. Dosière.
It takes a lot of persistence, and a willingness to make enemies of more than a few powerful people, but it is an invaluable work for democracy. In the long run, we're all dead. John Maynard Keynes
