Nicolas Sarkozy, A Modern Louis XVI

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    07/05/12 08:14Nicolas Sarkozy, a modern Louis XVI? | Nabila Ramdani | Comment is free | guardian.co.uk

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    Nicolas Sarkozy, a modern Louis XVI?The French president's techniques to uncover the source of

    rumours would not have been out of place in the ancien rgime

    Nabila Ramdani

    guardian.co.uk, Friday 9 April 2010 11.31 BST

    Article history

    French president Nicolas Sarkozy with his wife, Carla Bruni-Sarkozy. Photograph: Eric Feferberg/AFP/Getty Images

    Carla Bruni-Sarkozy sounded like an 18th-century first lady who lunches, when she

    appeared live on French national radio to laugh off rumours about infidelity at the

    lyse Palace. "Non," she purred, there was nothing in the silly claims. She had not

    fallen for a hunky young pop singer called Benjamin Biolay and, "non", her husband,Nicolas Sarkozy, was not being comforted by a young minister-come-karate champion

    called Chantal Jouanno. Moreover, there would be no possibility ofrevenge against the

    disloyal underlings accused of spreading the gossip particularly former justice

    minister Rachida Dati who, Carla added ominously, remained "our friend".

    So that was that all sorted then?Pas du tout! Forgetting all the grim allusions to affairs

    of state (or inter-ministerial "karaoke sessions" as one of Sarkozy's more entertaining

    wives once described them), what the latest scandal teaches us is that the court of the

    French head of state is as vindictive and cruel as it was in the days of Marie Antoinette

    and her husband Louis XVI.

    Within hours of Bruni-Sarkozy's devastating reference to Dati, the former head of the

    DCRI, the Gallic version of MI5, appeared on another radio station to confirm that he

    had been ordered to find and punish the blabbermouth. This was not long after Dati,

    who is now an MEP, had been stripped of her chauffeur-driven car, three bodyguards

    and even governmental smart phone.

    The ever-relaxed Pierre Charron, the lyse aide responsible for Carla's publicity and a

    member of a small phalanx of Sarkozy hardmen nicknamed "the firm", announced that

    the "campaign of terror" would continue, adding: "We want those who tried to spread

    fear to feel fear themselves." Charon even suggested that Dati might have been involved

    in some kind of "organised plot" against the president, involving Anglo-Saxon

    financiers.

    You can blame the bankers for anything you like nowadays, but even the Socialists

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    polishsupporter

    9 April 2010 11:40AM

    Will he end up getting his head cut off then?

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    Damntheral

    9 April 2010 11:40AM

    I'm not sure who ever tipped Dati to become president. It is

    certainly the first time I hear this. She is not a heavyweight.

    Your conclusion is a bit hyperbolic. Mitterrand and Chirac both

    abused their function massively and never had to answer for it. I

    doubt Sarkozy will either.

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    Duballiland9 April 2010 11:40AM

    Staff

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    Comments90 comments, displaying Oldest first

    began feeling sorry for Dati, who not so long ago was being tipped to become France's

    first female-conservative-single-mum-Muslim president. Meanwhile, two employees of

    a website run by the Journal du Dimanche were ignominiously sacked for having posted

    the original infidelity rumours, even though they had solely provided technical

    assistance to the anonymous author.

    Terror, indeed. The tone and ferocity of the presidential couple's vengeful campaign

    hardly becomes a modern, democratic republic where everyone should be equal before

    the law even the purveyors of unfounded web chat. The tools of the security state, and

    especially its intelligence services, should not be placed at the hands of an increasingly

    self-absorbed couple looking to punish their enemies. Sarkozy has an appalling record

    in this respect, once even ordering a top level police hunt including DNA swipes for

    a scooter which had been stolen from one of his sons.

    Whatever the substance of rumours surrounding the president and Bruni-Sarkozy, you

    can't help feeling that they are those of a country that is growing increasingly

    dissatisfied with a leader whose desire for a high-profile, glamorous lifestyle is matched

    only by his wife's. And look what happened the last time that happened.

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    LtSlick

    9 April 2010 11:42AM

    what the latest scandal teaches us is that the court ofthe French head of state is as vindictive and cruel as it

    was in the days of Marie Antoinette and her husband

    Louis XVI.

    Oh, I think it's much worse than that. The mighty nosed dwarf

    has well and truely gone off the deep end. Napolean would be a

    better comparison. And on the paranoia scale he's not far off

    Hitler during the latter days of the fall of the Reich... I mean that

    purely in the scale of the paranoia... not the actions in total.

    He's mental and despite a potential to change aspects of France

    to make it more viable, and stem the exodus of youngprofessionals to London and elsewhere, he focuses on some

    random tabloid bullshit.

    Credit to whoever it who does want him overthrown mind, they

    certainly smacked the right nerve!

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    GeorgeLloyd

    9 April 2010 11:45AM

    Louis XIV might have been the "sun king", but Sarkozy seems to

    imagine that it shines out of his own ar$e... a dreadful case ofSMS, I fear.

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    Koolio

    9 April 2010 11:50AM

    Plus ca change. The French President is effectively a monach,

    only elected for a five year term. Mitterand bugged rivals, Chirac

    enjoyed the brown envelopes andfonds secrets.

    Until the French wake up and demand a better system of

    government they will continue to get more of the same. You can'tplace such power in the hands of one individual. It attracts the

    wrong people and even a saint would become corrupt. Sarkozy is

    only a symptom, he is not the cause.

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    Damntheral

    9 April 2010 11:50AM

    @Dubaliland

    It's also better than catching scarlet fever, sucking on mothballs

    or swallowing rat poison.

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    PrimroseandBlue

    9 April 2010 12:03PM

    Nabila, it's not great, but is it less ethical than when Mitterrand

    used to have Carole Bouquet bugged because he fancied her? I

    think not.Clip| Link

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    Battistan

    9 April 2010 12:05PM

    Shabby little Frenchman.

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    ProfessorPlums

    9 April 2010 12:25PM

    The tools of the security state, and especially its

    intelligence services, should not be placed at thehands of an increasingly self-absorbed couple looking

    to punish their enemies.

    Surely this is simply a perk of the job, non?

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    MiddleEnglandLefty

    9 April 2010 12:36PM

    Duballiland

    9 Apr 2010, 11:40AM

    It's better than Gordon Brown's method of firingstationary and mobile phones around while

    threatening people.

    Indeed better than Chavez's method of using the state

    media to lambast weekly anyone who opposes him.

    ...and its infinitely better than Castro and the other

    Cuban dictatorial staff who just lock up those who

    threaten them.

    We have an election here in Britain with a real choice

    to make, the French had there's and choose well.

    Labour is Gordon Brown, who yesterday said he, if

    elected (God forbid), would serve another five years

    as Prime Minister. If that isn't the shortest suicide

    note in history, then Micheal Foot's 1983 manifesto

    was not the longest.

    What rank hypocrisy, if this was a story about the Browns you'd

    be howling your outrage but you can't see past your partisan

    ranting.

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    Toolow9 April 2010 12:41PM

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    Carla Bruni has been much loved around the world - especially

    by short, money-obsessed control freaks of a certain age and heel

    size........Le Monde made it clear that she called for revenge

    following the infidelity rumours, yet she appeared on TV in her

    usual creepy manner pretending that all was sweetness and light.

    Her awful songs are full of nauseating double speak too (so I'm

    told).

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    kizbot

    9 April 2010 12:41PM

    I'm having trouble caring what either of this slimy pair do.... they

    ust make me go eeewww! Clip| Link

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    AJM1969

    9 April 2010 12:42PM

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    ukguyinfrance

    9 April 2010 12:53PM

    The French do not detest Carla Bruni, they are jealous of her in

    the most petty and vincictive way possible. Any woman in the

    public eye here is reviled if she got there by herself (Dati did not

    get herself where she was, remember, she was parachuted into

    the government), there are less women in the French parliamentthan in most other western countries, and machism is rife.

    The French are fed up with Sarkozy, true, but you need to

    understand that they are fed up with EVERYTHING AND

    EVERYBODY right now. The country is going through a severe

    identity crisis, notably due to the realisation that France is not

    the influential country it used to be. Their knee-jerk anti Anglo-

    Saxonism isn't helping either because they have painted

    themselves into a corner with it.

    Concerning this particular "scandal", Sarkozy loused up big time.

    By initiating an investigation (which is no longer in doubt) hegave the issue much more press coverage than it would otherwise

    have got.

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    savernake

    9 April 2010 12:55PM

    Wonderfully Waugh-esque piece of writing. Congratulations!

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    lazymindsdislike9 April 2010 1:00PM Recommend (17)

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    "Dati, who not so long ago was being tipped to become France's

    irst female-conservative-single-mum-Muslim president. "

    in your dreams?

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    LtSlick

    9 April 2010 1:02PM

    kizbot

    That's because you don't live in a country currently managed by

    one of them... Being as I am unequivocally tied to the French

    (well one) I can safely say that given what is in France we could

    do without this megolmaniac short arse going off the deep end.

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    lazymindsdislike

    9 April 2010 1:13PM

    Dati appears more to me as someone who had a disastrous

    impact as minister of justice.

    I wished more articles in the Guardian about REAL political

    issues than about celebrity talk.

    Maybe even reading about work fights&strikes in neoliberal

    superficial Britain, would be interesting.Is it truly so social

    "quiet" on the Island?

    Only distract from reality hip fashion&glamour noises or whom

    do I vote for from in this 3 colour, same abuse party?

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    pretzelberg9 April 2010 1:19PM

    Charon even suggested that Dati might have been

    involved in some kind of "organised plot" against the

    president, involving Anglo-Saxon financiers.

    Oh, please - perfidious Albion again?

    Otherwise, I assume the author made her choice of historical

    precedent with Bruni in mind - but surely Nicky boy's more

    reminiscent of LouisXIV?

    And what has happened to Bruni? That pic of her above remindsme of David Hasselhoff.

    Yes -when he's plastered.

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    nothing3

    9 April 2010 1:21PM

    Forgetting all the grim allusions to affairs of state (or

    inter-ministerial "karaoke sessions" as one of

    Sarkozy's more entertaining wives once described

    them)

    Was that Bruni-Sarkozy, who said that then?? Not sure I

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    understand that bit, but otherwise an interesting an amusing

    article.

    I think his behaviour as President is symptomatic of the system,

    as someone says above. Comparisons with Louis XVI seem a

    little far-fetched though.

    lazymindsdislike

    9 April 2010 1:26PM

    I guess the article writer knows "everything" about Louis XVI

    through a film depicting Marie Antoinette as obsessed with petit

    fours.Clip| Link

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    ukguyinfrance

    9 April 2010 1:40PM

    Hello Pretzelberg

    "Oh, please - perfidious Albion again?"

    Of course! It's always our fault. Except, that is, when it's the

    Americans' fault.

    It's all gotten completely unreal, if not downright unhealthy. For

    example, how could anything or anyone rational explain the fact

    that at the same time the French consistently blame their

    financial woes mainly on the euro (around 70% in polls) they

    never stop asking me personally, or the UK in press articles, why

    Britain did not adopt the euro as they "should have done"!!

    I mean, I love France, but the inconsistencies of life here arequite amusing. To their credit though, they recognise the

    phenomena themselves and often talk about the "Paradoxe

    franais." Another good example is the incompatibility of the

    mission of the "rayonnement de la culture franaise" which is

    supposed to spread French culture around the world as a gog-

    given assignment, with the "Exception culturelle franaise"

    which means amongst other things that they slap limiting quotas

    on the amount of foreign (read Anglo-Saxon) music that can be

    played on their radio stations.

    As I say though, gotta love 'em! :)

    Clip| Link

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    zombus

    9 April 2010 2:27PM

    Look, we all know Sarkozy's mad. But it's a Tom Sharpe-type

    madness that he exhibits, completely overt and obvious. It's far

    more healthy for everyone than the veiled, clandestine, quite

    appalling career of entitlement lived out by that sinister bugger

    Chirac behind whatever conventional front was expected of him.

    It seems that, democratic or no, the French system allows its

    Presidents to do literally what they want to an extent notavailable to British premiers or royals, and Sarkozy, carrying on

    like a mad little Greek godlet, is quite intoxicated by this and

    Clip| Link

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    can't take it. I love the little man. Like, again, your standard Tom

    Sharpe anti-hero, he just doesn't know the code. But the code

    itself strikes one as fairly ridiculous and worth being sent up.

    But I don't think Dati is going to end up in the Seine. Not at

    Sarkozy's request, anyway. What loose cannons and rogue

    elements in the security services might get up to is another

    matter. These also seem to an enjoy a remarkable freedom to do

    whatever they like.

    Damntheral

    9 April 2010 2:32PM

    @ukguyinfrance

    This "exception" business is fascinating.

    The expression was originally "cultural exception" and it was

    forged at the time of negotiations on the now defunct General

    Agreement on Tariffs and Trades. It had no chauvinisticconnotations: what it meant was that culture is an exceptional

    sector which should not be left entirely at the mercy of market

    forces. But a lot of the actors and singers and other witless artists

    who were wheeled out by their respective industries to campaign

    on this completely misunderstood its meaning and thought it

    meant not that culture is an exceptional sector which must be

    preserved but rather that France is an exceptionally cultured

    country which musn't be corrupted by the barbarians. So it

    gradually became "French cultural exception". A few years ago

    the dimwit J-M Messier, then head of Vivendi Universal,

    announced gravely that the "French exception" was over and thisprompted a lengthy nationwide of exactly what constitutes the

    "French exception", with few seeming to notice that he had

    pretty much forged the term at the same time he announced its

    demise.

    It's all pretty weird to me because when I lived in France (until

    1994) it wasn't a chauvinistic country at all, but it's gradually

    changed. Part of it came from this GATT campaign, part of it

    from the late 90s football victories, but a lot of it seems to stem

    from paranoia. I have no idea what the "anglo-saxon model" the

    French keep going on about it. They seem to think that the UKand US are identical societies to start with.

    The radio quotas are a much older business, they date back from

    the 80s. Amusingly they can probably be credited for the success

    of mostly instrumental acts like Daft Punk, Air etc...

    Clip| Link

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    Damntheral

    9 April 2010 2:36PM

    *a lengthy nationwide debate of exactly what ...

    Clip| Link

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    dornadair

    9 April 2010 2:38PM

    @Duballiland

    Well done in managing to shoe-horn a criticism of Gordon

    Brown into a completely unrelated article.

    Give me strength

    Clip| Link

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    Galatzy

    9 April 2010 2:40PM

    Heyukguyinfrance

    As a Belgian currently living in the south east of France, I don't

    remember of anyone talking of "Paradoxe franais" or worse

    "Exception culturelle franaise". It does sound more than

    something of the nineties we must link with Jacques Toubon

    (former minister, fortunately out of race) and Maurice Druon

    (former member of theAcadmie Franaise, fortunately dead).

    Ask any of the 20-35 years old generation, they don't give a

    damn about a possible "Exception culturelle franaise", they are

    proud of their culture, that's all.

    Nabila Ramdani

    The French president's techniques to uncover the

    source of rumours would not have been out of place

    in the ancien rgime

    As somebody points it out earlier, just take in consideration the

    both former presidents Mitterrand and Chirac instead ofthinking your dreams will be soon realized with a Sarkozy/Louis

    XVI beheaded.

    To become a real king of the ancien rgime, Sarkozy should have

    done what Mohammed VI did recently in Morocco, suspend any

    newspapers or websites saying something bad of him or more

    surprising just proposing a poll about his popularity among his

    fellows subjects.

    Clip| Link

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    steena

    9 April 2010 2:44PM

    When you elect a bling bling in-your-face President you have to

    put up with this stuff - my french friends tell me they don't care

    about the private lives of public people.... so why was this the

    number one topic of conversation this morning at the machine

    caf?

    Clip| Link

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    Damntheral

    9 April 2010 2:56PM

    Le Monde made it clear that she called for revenge

    following the infidelity rumours Clip| Link

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    No it didn't.

    SarahGY

    9 April 2010 3:08PM

    ukguyinfrance

    9 Apr 2010, 1:40PM

    "Of course! It's always our fault. Except, that is, when it's the

    Americans' fault. "

    Maybe you don't live in France, or have a very stereotyping view

    of things. Noone here has ever accused "the British" or the

    "Americans" of the "anglo-saxons" to have something to do in

    this rumors. I read this only in the British press.

    About Carla Bruni: there is no hate or jealousy, she is just a very

    easy target for the jokes and she is a bargain for the humorists

    Another point: People in France could not care less about "the

    political influence of France". It is never discussed in the press,

    in the debates, during the political campaigns. I think people seetheir country as significant at a european level, and small in the

    world stage. From a foreigner point of view, coming from a

    country, Belgium, which is small and has no power, it feels like

    France and GB are both former world powers, who now have a

    diminished role, but the difference is that the French have been

    long aware of that, whereas the British just begin to realize it.

    Clip| Link

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    Keo2008

    9 April 2010 3:11PM

    Louis XVI and his wife had many bad features, but they did notdo "vindictive and cruel".

    On the contrary, there are many historians who believe he could

    have avoided or survived the Revolution had he been more

    ruthless and vindictive.

    Clip| Link

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    Clevo

    9 April 2010 3:17PM

    At least the French Republic has a written constitution, to which

    people can legally refer if the persident appears to exceed hispowers. So far, no legal challenge.

    And he's doing all this without an eminence grise behind the

    curtain, whether of Cardinal status or gentleman politician.

    In our super democracy,if Blair takes decisions by using powers

    originally belonging to Charles the First who fell into dispute,

    then we cannot throw stones at anyone.

    People my age rmember living under de Gaulle. Now

    that's another story.

    Clip| Link

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    borisvian79 April 2010 3:21PM Recommend (2)

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    Yes, mademoiselle, we have seen the "Le Monde" article too.

    And yes, he's perfectly justified to go and try to unmask the

    sleazy rumour mongers so indicative of this here 24/7 Tw*tter

    PopBitch TMZ 3 a.m. gossip culcha.

    What is this, "The S*n"?!!!

    Long soupir...

    Clip| Link

    Report

    borisvian7

    9 April 2010 3:29PM

    Exhibit A:

    "Whatever the substance of rumours surrounding the president

    and Bruni-Sarkozy" -what is this supposed to mean, miss?

    For the record, I detest the man but that is not the point, the

    point is: let's rehash pathetic, baseless, obviously sexual rumours

    as the US republicans do, whip up them up in an anti-Sarkozy -

    sorry, anti-"Sarko"- cheap shot, drop some pop-history

    references, mix them with unrelated news items and sound oh soclever, chic and "bobo".

    Clip| Link

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    ThomasY

    9 April 2010 3:33PM

    Presumably Dati lost her limo and bodyguards because she is no

    longer in the government? Clip| Link

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    ThomasY

    9 April 2010 3:34PM

    Sarko is a hardman who will do what it takes. Louis was a

    workshy fop who lost his head because he was too easygoing, not

    because he was a bruteClip| Link

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    AFColonel

    9 April 2010 3:51PM

    France always has been a Police State, so nothing in this story

    surprises me. The big surprise was that Sarkkozy was elected in

    the first place.

    Clip| Link

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    ukguyinfrance

    9 April 2010 4:00PM

    SarahGY

    "Noone here has ever accused "the British" or the

    "Americans" of the "anglo-saxons" to have something

    to do in this rumors. I read this only in the British

    press."

    Oh really? Do you imagine I made it all up? How about if youread the French press then?http://www.lefigaro.fr/flash-

    Clip| Link

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    actu/2010/04/09/97001-20100409FILWWW00461-

    rumeurssarkozy-biolay-assigne-france-24.php" rel="nofollow">

    "La chane avait voqu des articles de la presse britannique

    faisant tat d'"une msentente" entre le chef de l'Etat et son

    pouse."

    Same for Carla Bruni. Have you forgotten the "We too get f*****

    by the President" chant by demonstrators that has become a

    byline?

    As for French influence, there are tens of books available on the

    subject, many of which were written by politicians. And

    Sarkozy's failed Copenhagen initiative? Don't you remember the

    soul-searching that went on afterwards? I am not sure you read

    the French press or listen to French opinion.

    Whatever, I did make it clear that my comment was made in a

    light-hearted vein. Mind you, some people can't take criticism of

    any sort I suppose.

    "Of course! It's always our fault. Except, that is, when it's theAmericans' fault. "

    Maybe you don't live in France, or have a very stereotyping view

    of things. Noone here has ever accused "the British" or the

    "Americans" of the "anglo-saxons" to have something to do in

    this rumors. I read this only in the British press.

    About Carla Bruni: there is no hate or jealousy, she is just a very

    easy target for the jokes and she is a bargain for the humorists

    Another point: People in France could not care less about "the

    political influence of France". It is never discussed in the press,

    in the debates, during the political campaigns. I think people see

    their country as significant at a european level, and small in theworld stage. From a foreigner point of view, coming from a

    country, Belgium, which is small and has no power, it feels like

    France and GB are both former world powers, who now have a

    diminished role, but the difference is that the French have been

    long aware of that, whereas the British just begin to realize it.

    maroule71

    9 April 2010 4:08PM

    "Dati, who not so long ago was being tipped to become France's

    irst female-conservative-single-mum-Muslim president. "

    Nabila, now you are totally making that up... I have never heard

    or seen in any way shape or form any reference to it, anywhere...

    Clip| Link

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    ukguyinfrance

    9 April 2010 4:12PM

    Hi Galatzy,

    So you haven't heard anyone talk about the Paradoxe Franais?

    Well try this then. It's on the paradox of French immigrationpolicy. There are lots of others, from food to concentration

    camps. All written by French people. There is a lot about the

    Clip| Link

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    paradox (as some see it) between the apparent incompatibility

    between Libert and galit too. That one's been around for ever.

    Even Chateaubriand wrote about it!

    You don't hear anything about the exception culturelle franaise?

    Here's Wikipedia's FRENCH page version and there are literally

    hundreds of entries on Google. Do you have all evening lol?

    C'mon. As I said to SarahGY, I didn't make this up you know! :)

    Damntheral

    9 April 2010 4:18PM

    SarahGY has a point. Nabila Ramdani wrote:

    Charon even suggested that Dati might have been

    involved in some kind of "organised plot" against the

    president, involving Anglo-Saxon financiers.

    I just looked the quote up carefully (it's from Rue 89), and

    Ramdani seems to have added the "anglo-saxon" bit!Charon said:

    Pour que la peur change de camp, il fallait qu'il y ait

    une procdure judiciaire. Maintenant, on va voir s'il

    n'y a pas une espce de complot organis, avec des

    mouvements financiers, pourquoi pas?

    Clip| Link

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    borisvian7

    9 April 2010 4:18PM

    Indeed Maroule, the Guardian's enthusiastic praise of thenotorious Rachida Dati has never ceased to be a source of

    wonder -and hilarity.Clip| Link

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    FelixKrull

    9 April 2010 4:44PM

    @Keo2008

    Agree completely. The problem with Louis XVI's court was that

    they were snubbed by both the king and his wife and that money

    and power flowed to a bevvy of fortune hunters and con men.They were both beautiful persons, but neither of them were ruler

    material. Louis could be excused, cretin that he was and raised at

    Louis XV's court, but Marie Antoinette was a Habsburger, by all

    account a smart girl and her formidable mother did everything

    she could to advise her. To no avail. It never seemed to dawn on

    her what responsibilities her position entailed. Marie Antoinette

    could've been the most powerful and most loved French queen

    ever, but she blew it monumentally.

    Clip| Link

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    SarahGY

    9 April 2010 4:50PMRecommend (5)

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    ukguyinfrance

    -It is not an accusation ! It is an observation, yes, the first articles

    about Carla Bruni's supposed affairs were written in the British

    press. No one here "accused" the British(and let alone the

    "anglo-saxons"!), no one said it was a "british plot", the article

    you quoted just said the British press was the first...

    -""We too get f***** by the President" " ? I never heard that, but,

    again, it is not jealousy or hate, it is a joke, as I said she is a veryeasy target for that, with her past, her attitude ... Do you really

    think women in France seriously envy her and are "jealous"?

    Mind you some people can do irony ;)

    -As for French influence, if some books have been written, about

    that, it is not an important concern for the peopele. It is maybe,

    like in any country, a subject of books, or essays, in a certain

    circle (political analysts, journalists, professor etc) but certainly

    not among the people. It is never discussed during the national

    campaign, because people are not interested... After

    Copenhagen, the polemic in France was about the "taxecarbonne": a purely national matter...

    Clip| Link

    ukguyinfrance

    9 April 2010 4:57PM

    Hi SarahGY,

    Oh, the taxe carbone. What a mess huh lol?! I hope they salvage

    it somehow. As for Carla, as one good editorial I read said (here

    on the Guardian I think), if the French don't want her, they can

    send her to us lol!! I find her elegant and conscientious. Oh, andhave you seen her website? Pretty cool! Much better than Sgo's

    horrible Windows wallpaper effort! :) Besides, all this could be

    past history soon. Have you read the rumours (yip, them again)

    that say she is trying to persuade Nico not to run for prez in

    2012?

    Now THAT would be news!!

    :)

    Clip| Link

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    francaise

    9 April 2010 4:59PM

    Minable? Moi!

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    Galatzy

    9 April 2010 5:00PM

    ukguyinfrance

    Nice article dealing with immigration you gave me. But I do

    remember that Belgium, Italy, Spain and others have to deal

    with that topic too. Even Britain in a way. So I cannot see that as

    a specific French paradox.

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  • 8/2/2019 Nicolas Sarkozy, A Modern Louis XVI

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    07/05/12 08:14Nicolas Sarkozy, a modern Louis XVI? | Nabila Ramdani | Comment is free | guardian.co.uk

    Page 15 sur 16http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2010/apr/09/sarkozy-reign-terror-france

    Libert, galit, Fraternit is only an old fashioned motto from

    their revolution, If you think that the French really believe in

    that, well I'm deeply sorry for you.

    It's like to ask me about the motto of my country, Belgium

    Strength Through Unity, that's a higher paradox than the one

    you want to point out with France.

    Looking at the French wiki article you gave me :1- tagged lacking of references,

    2- the article is obviously unfinished,

    3- have you looked into the discussion section cos it's damn

    interesting.

    4- finally, French wikipedia is a known mess.

    Of course, I did hear about exception culturelle franaise but not

    anymore as that was one hype of the nineties being related with

    the perpetual decline of French culture. Look at the wiki article

    you gave, only two guys trying to deal with in three years...

    Amazing !

    Friendlyfrog

    9 April 2010 5:01PM

    Hope he will!

    Ah a ira a ira a ira... Clip| Link

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    FelixKrull

    9 April 2010 5:08PM

    @ukguyinFranceWhy would you want a celebrity whore like Bruni?

    It has been claimed that Bruni was involved with Louis

    Bertignac, Mick Jagger (Jagger's wife acknowledged his affair

    with Bruni was a reason for their separation), Eric Clapton,

    Los Carax, Charles Berling, Arno Klarsfeld, Vincent Perez[21]

    and former French Prime Minister Laurent Fabius.[22][23] She

    has said she is easily "bored with monogamy", and that "love

    lasts a long time, but burning desire ? two to three weeks".[23]

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carla_Bruni-

    Sarkozy#Relationships

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    07/05/12 08:14Nicolas Sarkozy, a modern Louis XVI? | Nabila Ramdani | Comment is free | guardian.co.uk

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