French Presidential Election

[Sheilbh]

My favourite:  Manuel Valls, Interior minister, a.k.a le Sarko de gauche

Glad he got a job.  I think Interior should suit him.  Moscovici's a striking appointment too and I believe the Minister for Foreign Affairs and the Minister for European Affairs both campaigned for a 'no' on Lisbon which is, again, rather striking.

I still think all Socialist governments should appoint Lang as Minister for Culture.  Gaullists should resurrect Malraux.

[Tonitrus]

All that ass isn't going to save the Euro.

Thanks to QFC.com home delivery I'm stocking up on Pilot Crackers, Bottled Water, Raisins, Dried Apples, Peanut Butter, and Dog Food as I type.

I miss QFC. 

[viper37]

My favourite:  Manuel Valls, Interior minister, a.k.a le Sarko de gauche

does that mean he's more to the right than to the left?  Or does that mean that he's anti seal hunting?  Or that he's obnoxious, know nothing about the outside world and yet totally pretentious?

[Sheilbh]

does that mean he's more to the right than to the left?  Or does that mean that he's anti seal hunting?  Or that he's obnoxious, know nothing about the outside world and yet totally pretentious?

He's on the right of the PS.  Almost, whisper it, Blairite

Also how can Sarko be pretentious?  He was vulgar beyond belief.

[Admiral Yi]

1st one is Ministre des PME, de l'Innovation et de l'Économie numérique (SMBs, Innovation and digital economy).

wut?

[Habsburg]

My favourite:  Manuel Valls, Interior minister, a.k.a le Sarko de gauche

 

[viper37]

1st one is Ministre des PME, de l'Innovation et de l'Économie numérique (SMBs, Innovation and digital economy).

wut?

Small&Medium businesses...  The other ones, I'm ok...

[Valmy]

Wait they have entire ministries...like full bureaucracies...devoted to these very specific things?  Or does it work a little differently in Europe?  I guess I think of massive government buildings with thousands of government workers devoted specifically to promoting small business and digital technology.

[Sheilbh]

Wait they have entire ministries...like full bureaucracies...devoted to these very specific things?  Or does it work a little differently in Europe?  I guess I think of massive government buildings with thousands of government workers devoted specifically to promoting small business and digital technology.

No.  Normally they're the equivalent of Assistant Secretaries of State.  So that example is a Vice-Minister in charge of those things within the Ministry of Finance.

[Valmy]

Yeah ok that makes sense, just because there is a Minister does not mean there is an entire Ministry behind him or her.  So are they called 'Ministers' as a courtesy or something?

[Sheilbh]

Yeah ok that makes sense, just because there is a Minister does not mean there is an entire Ministry behind him or her.  So are they called 'Ministers' as a courtesy or something?

I think in France they're called Vice-Ministers, but probably Minister for short.  In the UK they are Ministers of State, underneath Secretaries of State.  And I think both countries are relatively happy to change the name and remits of Ministries, because I don't think they're creatures of statute like the US Departments.

[Valmy]

My favourite:  Manuel Valls, Interior minister, a.k.a le Sarko de gauche

The guy looks like a movie star.  Between him and the fabulous shoes lady is Hollande setting up a ministry or finding cover models for a fashion mag?

[Admiral Yi]

He looks like a young Mel Gibson with a college education.

[Syt]

That guy kinda reminds me of former Austrian finance minister Karl-Heinz Grasser.





He's attached to Fiona Swarovski and is faicng a number of corruption charges.


Or HC Strache.

[CountDeMoney]

Heh, he said "Wiener Blut".