Sarkozy’s fingerprints smudge Macron’s new government line-up
Any frenchfags might be interested in this, Macron corruption again
“A certain resemblance,” noted the front-page headline of Le Parisien newspaper, above a photograph of President Emmanuel Macron and former president Nicolas Sarkozy exchanging a knowing smile. “Has Macron caught the Sarkoronavirus?” asked the satirical Canard Enchaîné.
Four prominent members of the new government announced on July 6th have long-established ties to Sarkozy. Jean Castex, the prime minister, was Sarkozy’s social affairs adviser and deputy secretary general of the Élysée during Sarkozy’s 2007-2012 presidency. The moment he was appointed, Castex telephoned Sarkozy, the Canard reported.
Gérald Darmanin was promoted from budget minister to minister of the interior, the path taken by Sarkozy 15 years ago. Like Sarkozy before him, Darmanin, age 37, is a young man in a hurry, with presidential ambitions. Darmanin ran Sarkozy’s campaign for the presidential primary in 2016.
Finance minister Bruno Le Maire was Sarkozy’s agriculture minister. Culture minister Roselyne Bachelot was his health minister.
Sarkozy’s former speechwriter, Camille Pascal, told RMC radio he texted the former president: “I’m surprised nobody told me you were back.” Sarkozy asked him to “stop saying [the new government] is Sarkozyste” but nonetheless proclaimed himself “very happy for the country . . . because it’s in good hands now”.
“It is a secret for no one that Emmanuel Macron and Nicolas Sarkozy are in contact,” an adviser to Macron said. “The president found it useful to solicit the advice of Mr Sarkozy on several subjects.”
Although the 2008 financial crisis was very different from the coronavirus epidemic, the adviser said Macron wanted to know how Sarkozy handled “politico-administrative organisation, European and global co-ordination”.
Sarkozy trial
Virtually no one mentions the string of financial scandals that continue to dog Sarkozy. The former president’s first trial, for alleged corruption and influence-peddling, is scheduled to take place from November 23rd until December 10th.
Sarkozy and his lawyer Thierry Herzog – who is close to the new justice minister Eric Dupond-Moretti – are accused of attempting to bribe a supreme court justice in exchange for information regarding another investigation into Sarkozy’s affairs.
https://www.irishtimes.com/news/world/europe/sarkozy-s-fingerprints-smudge-macron-s-new-government-line-up-1.4301617?mode=amp