French president Jacques Chirac has appointed former foreign and interior minister Dominique de Villepin — “who is a man,” as ScrappleFace always helpfully points out — as the country’s new prime minister after Jean-Pierre Raffarin resigned in the wake of the “non” vote on the EU constitution.
As foreign minister, de Villepin was a strong opponent of the Iraq war. As interior minister, he launched anti-immigration measures and a crackdown on radical Islam.
The Independentsays his appointment as PM “signals [the] end of reform hopes.” It “was met with derision on the left and disappointment and fury among some members of parliament in M. Chirac’s centre-right party.”
The appointment also renews the debate over whether to use the “de” in his name when writing headlines about him. :)
In a TV address last night , M. Chirac rejected the idea of a Thatcher-Blair approach to economic revival.
“National mobilisation” against unemployment must “scrupulously respect our French model,” M. Chirac said. “This is not the Anglo-Saxon model but neither is it a synonym for immobility”.
It never fails to amuse me that the French absolutely cannot bring themselves to follow a successful non-French model of doing anything, particularly if it’s of the Anglo-Saxon variety.
I loved this gem from the <i>Independent</i> article:
<i>In a TV address last night , M. Chirac rejected the idea of a Thatcher-Blair approach to economic revival.
“National mobilisation” against unemployment must “scrupulously respect our French model,” M. Chirac said. “This is not the Anglo-Saxon model but neither is it a synonym for immobility”. </i>
It never fails to amuse me that the French absolutely cannot bring themselves to follow a successful non-French model of doing <i>anything</i>, particularly if it’s of the Anglo-Saxon variety.
de Villepin has the sound of being a ‘nom de particule’, as I recall - and was how the aristos were styled before they lost their assorted heads …
Politeness and tradition indicate its use … which leads one to believe that those organs of public discourse with particularly large chips on their shoulders will practise their traditional public discourtesy instead …
de Villepin has the sound of being a ‘nom de particule’, as I recall - and was how the aristos were styled before they lost their assorted heads …
Politeness and tradition indicate its use … which leads one to believe that those organs of public discourse with particularly large chips on their shoulders will practise their traditional public discourtesy instead …
June 1st, 2005 at 2:35:08 am
I loved this gem from the Independent article:
In a TV address last night , M. Chirac rejected the idea of a Thatcher-Blair approach to economic revival.
“National mobilisation” against unemployment must “scrupulously respect our French model,” M. Chirac said. “This is not the Anglo-Saxon model but neither is it a synonym for immobility”.
It never fails to amuse me that the French absolutely cannot bring themselves to follow a successful non-French model of doing anything, particularly if it’s of the Anglo-Saxon variety.
June 1st, 2005 at 7:35:08 am
I loved this gem from the <i>Independent</i> article:
<i>In a TV address last night , M. Chirac rejected the idea of a Thatcher-Blair approach to economic revival.
“National mobilisation” against unemployment must “scrupulously respect our French model,” M. Chirac said. “This is not the Anglo-Saxon model but neither is it a synonym for immobility”. </i>
It never fails to amuse me that the French absolutely cannot bring themselves to follow a successful non-French model of doing <i>anything</i>, particularly if it’s of the Anglo-Saxon variety.
June 1st, 2005 at 3:20:44 pm
de Villepin has the sound of being a ‘nom de particule’, as I recall - and was how the aristos were styled before they lost their assorted heads …
Politeness and tradition indicate its use … which leads one to believe that those organs of public discourse with particularly large chips on their shoulders will practise their traditional public discourtesy instead …
June 1st, 2005 at 8:20:44 pm
de Villepin has the sound of being a ‘nom de particule’, as I recall - and was how the aristos were styled before they lost their assorted heads …
Politeness and tradition indicate its use … which leads one to believe that those organs of public discourse with particularly large chips on their shoulders will practise their traditional public discourtesy instead …
June 2nd, 2005 at 2:42:05 am
Oh come on Brendan, you missed an obvious Austin Powers referenced title
New French PM is a man, baby!
June 2nd, 2005 at 7:42:05 am
Oh come on Brendan, you missed an obvious Austin Powers referenced title
New French PM is a man, baby!