Comments on: Breaking News: France Has A New Prime Minister.

By: versac

versac — Wed, 01 Jun 2005 23:14:49 +0000

I’d add that this was only in his TV speech, and not in the formal nomination of Villepin.

By: versac

versac — Wed, 01 Jun 2005 23:12:07 +0000

Well, Oliver, I don’t think it is unconstitutional, but it’s touching the limits.
Article 8 :
Sur la proposition du Premier Ministre, il nomme les autres membres du Gouvernement et met fin ? leurs fonctions
On proposal of the premier, he nominates the other members of the government…
So, we may assume that Villepin suggested Sarkozy’s name. Ahahah.
Of course, when not in a “cohabitation”, nomination of gvt members is always made in common by the president and PM.

By: Oliver

Oliver — Wed, 01 Jun 2005 17:23:16 +0000

Chirac is the first president ever to announce the name of the new PM and of one of the ministers at the same time.

Isn’t that, strictly speaking, unconstitutional?
Doesn’t he need the PM to countersign ministers’ appointments?

By: versac

versac — Wed, 01 Jun 2005 16:16:14 +0000

Edward : it sure is quite new. Chirac is the first president ever to announce the name of the new PM and of one of the ministers at the same time. It will be a “tandem”, but with opposite directions. Chirac and villepin on one side, representing old gaullist tradition, and Sarkozy, with the UMP on his side, on the other one, with a more free-market vision. Competition inside the governement will be our daily dish for the next 2 years.
What an union !

By: Edward

Edward — Wed, 01 Jun 2005 13:26:13 +0000

Interstingly the radio is talking about the DdV/Sarkozy ‘tandem’. This would suggest that DvP will be an incredibly weak pm, backed by a mortally wounded President, and the the real power could rapidly flow in the direction of NS.

By: Edward

Edward — Wed, 01 Jun 2005 13:12:04 +0000

“I’d have preferred Fran?ois Bayrou”

Interestingly he does seem to have been offered a participation in the government, with some other ministers from his party, but his condition seems to have been Sarkozy as pm. Sarkozy seems to have refused, sensibly from a political point of view, ‘burn out’ can be high in current circumstances.

“I have a terrible opinion on Villepin.”

This seems to be widely shared. The only real question would seem to be how long can he last. For the moment La France is ‘a la derive’.

By: versac

versac — Wed, 01 Jun 2005 00:12:45 +0000

This is bad news.
I have a terrible opinion on Villepin. He is a poet (a clown in my opinion), he does not live in the world of facts, but in his own little world, made of french “grandeur”, “belles phrases” (phrases creuses, en fait) and principles.
He is a typical example of the french diplomat, and should have stayed here. He is not a politician in the noble sens of the word (no engagement, no commitment, …), but a civil servant, in the french tradition. Never was elected. He is an aparatchik.
And, of course, he is a fellow to the president. His politics will be fidelity only to Chirac’s choices, the same as Raffarin. No change. After two huge political downfalls (2004 in the european and regional elections, and 2005 with the refrendum), Chirac is being autist, is closing the doors, and resting in peace with his fellows. Ouch.
The only surprising thing could be Sarkozy, who is said to come back in the governement. Apparently, he refused the PM seat. Strange attitude, to be confirmed.
France is definitely in a deep political crisis.

By: venichka

venichka — Wed, 01 Jun 2005 00:03:15 +0000

erm.. sorry “provision” not “prevision”, obviously. I think there IS a constitutional rule (albeit one that was largely ignored until recently) that one is not supposed to hold two elective offices at once. Obviously this doesn’t concern Mr de Villepin one bit…

By: venichka

venichka — Wed, 01 Jun 2005 00:00:52 +0000

If I rememeber rightly, it’s not so much a rule as something that Chirac “imposed” (albeit without any legal/constitutional prevision) in this specific instance, to undermine Sarkozy. (Am I right to say that Chirac himself was once both - Prime Minister - while leader of the RPR????)

And DdV as PM? That’s surely bad news. Had hoped for Sarko, or, at least, Michele Aliot-Marie. He is the President’s man, and extraordinarily arrogant. Would be better if he’d stick to writing poetry

By: P O'Neill

P O'Neill — Tue, 31 May 2005 21:00:01 +0000

And Sarkozy back to Interior while staying as president of UMP (if I’m reading Le Monde with my dreadful French Correctly)? Wasn’t he made quit as finance minister because of a supposed rule that one can’t be a minister and party president at same time?