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WORLD> Europe
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Sarkozy says son being 'thrown to wolves'
(Agencies)
Updated: 2009-10-14 10:52
Monarchist Tendencies? "At the heart of the matter is a downwards spiral towards monarchism," said Jean-Paul Huchon, a senior Socialist and president of the Ile-de-France region which embraces Paris. "Everything is accepted without shame or restraint," he told France 2 television on Tuesday.
"Not everything is permitted when you are the head of a democratic nation. It is not written in any manual, but there are certain things you don't do and don't allow," the influential Le Monde daily said in a front page editorial. The controversy comes hard on the heels of a row over Culture Minister Frederic Mitterrand, who had to face down calls for his resignation last week in a furore over his admission that he paid for male prostitutes during visits to Thailand. The brouhaha has raised questions over whether the usually assured president might be losing his touch and ministers were dispatched to the airwaves to counter the opposition assault. "I am extremely shocked by what has happened," Education Minister Luc Chatel told LCI television. "I think we are facing another witch hunt." Jean Sarkozy's allies in local government also leapt to his defence, assuring a sceptical public that he was up to the task. "Jean is the son of a political genius so it's not surprising that he is precocious," said Thierry Solere, vice-president of the Hauts-de-Seine council.
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