Segolene Royal , the defeated presidential candidate, is a woman who isn't afraid to speak her mind. Recently she accused President Sarkozy and his wealthy friends of attempting a "take-over" of France.
Her concern is understandable. Sarkozy has made moves that create the impression he is rewarding his pals. He recently banned advertising on state-owned television. The spin-off effect from this will drive business to commercial television channels owned by his friends, potentially boosting their revenue annually by an estimated 450m Euros.
Strangely, on June 27, one day after Mme Royal criticized "the Sarkozy clan," her apartment in Boulogne-Billancourt, was broken into. Even more strange ... nothing was stolen. The place was just ransacked. The perpetrators seemed more interested in intimidating Mme Royal, rather than pilfering anything of value.
Her apartment was also broken into during the presidential campaign. On that occasion also, nothing was stolen. It is hard to believe that the most recent break-in, with similar characteristics to the first, was simply coincidence.
When Mme Royal linked the June 27 break-in with her criticisms of the "clan", it was taken by politicians close to Sarkozy as a finger pointing directly at the President.
Mme Royal was accused of being "unstable" ... of having a "martyr complex." Parliamentary speaker, Bernard Accoyer, said: "She will stop at nothing to get attention." The Prime Minister, Francois Fillon, said it was "absolutely shameful" to make accusations against the President "without a shred of proof."
On her part Mme Royal said:
"I observe that on the day after I said that it was time to halt the Sarkozy clan's take-over of France, my home was ransacked. I make a link between the two events."
"I am the only politician to denounce strongly the moves being made to undermine the state television services... There is a kidnapping going on, a robbery of the advertising revenue on France 2 and France 3 to enrich M. Sarkozy's friends ... I will bow to no intimidation in my attempts to prevent this dirty trick against the people of France."
Segolene Royal is not the first critic to have concerns about President bling-bling and his many rich, influential associates.
The favors go back and forth. For example Paris Match obligingly photoshopped vacation photos to trim down fat around the Presidential waistline.
When Sarkozy wanted to find a suitable position for Laurent Solly, his deputy campaign manager, he placed a call to his billionaire friend, Martin Bouygues. Shortly after Solly got named to a top post at TF1. This sort of practice is usually referred to as "influence peddling" but when Sarkozy does it, it becomes more like business-as-usual.
Leader of the Socialist group in parliament, Jean-Marc Ayrault, made a perceptive comment on the possible causes of the Royal break-ins. He said that Sarkozy's time in power had created "a climate ... which recalled the most unpleasant periods of French political history." He went on to say that once such a climate is created "anything can happen."
The cult of personality that surrounds the French President prompted a psychiatrist, Serge Hefez, to identify a new mental illness among the French - "obsessive Sarkosis." Related conditions include Sarkophrenia and Sarkonia. This might be viewed as a tongue-in-cheek exercise, but it isn't without a basis in reality.
Sarkozy is a polarizing personality and some of his most ardent followers identify with him to the point of fanaticism. Criticism of Sarkozy in the present "climate" could indeed have made Mme Royal a target for recrimination.
Her concern is understandable. Sarkozy has made moves that create the impression he is rewarding his pals. He recently banned advertising on state-owned television. The spin-off effect from this will drive business to commercial television channels owned by his friends, potentially boosting their revenue annually by an estimated 450m Euros.
Strangely, on June 27, one day after Mme Royal criticized "the Sarkozy clan," her apartment in Boulogne-Billancourt, was broken into. Even more strange ... nothing was stolen. The place was just ransacked. The perpetrators seemed more interested in intimidating Mme Royal, rather than pilfering anything of value.
Her apartment was also broken into during the presidential campaign. On that occasion also, nothing was stolen. It is hard to believe that the most recent break-in, with similar characteristics to the first, was simply coincidence.
When Mme Royal linked the June 27 break-in with her criticisms of the "clan", it was taken by politicians close to Sarkozy as a finger pointing directly at the President.
Mme Royal was accused of being "unstable" ... of having a "martyr complex." Parliamentary speaker, Bernard Accoyer, said: "She will stop at nothing to get attention." The Prime Minister, Francois Fillon, said it was "absolutely shameful" to make accusations against the President "without a shred of proof."
On her part Mme Royal said:
"I observe that on the day after I said that it was time to halt the Sarkozy clan's take-over of France, my home was ransacked. I make a link between the two events."
"I am the only politician to denounce strongly the moves being made to undermine the state television services... There is a kidnapping going on, a robbery of the advertising revenue on France 2 and France 3 to enrich M. Sarkozy's friends ... I will bow to no intimidation in my attempts to prevent this dirty trick against the people of France."
Segolene Royal is not the first critic to have concerns about President bling-bling and his many rich, influential associates.
The favors go back and forth. For example Paris Match obligingly photoshopped vacation photos to trim down fat around the Presidential waistline.
When Sarkozy wanted to find a suitable position for Laurent Solly, his deputy campaign manager, he placed a call to his billionaire friend, Martin Bouygues. Shortly after Solly got named to a top post at TF1. This sort of practice is usually referred to as "influence peddling" but when Sarkozy does it, it becomes more like business-as-usual.
Leader of the Socialist group in parliament, Jean-Marc Ayrault, made a perceptive comment on the possible causes of the Royal break-ins. He said that Sarkozy's time in power had created "a climate ... which recalled the most unpleasant periods of French political history." He went on to say that once such a climate is created "anything can happen."
The cult of personality that surrounds the French President prompted a psychiatrist, Serge Hefez, to identify a new mental illness among the French - "obsessive Sarkosis." Related conditions include Sarkophrenia and Sarkonia. This might be viewed as a tongue-in-cheek exercise, but it isn't without a basis in reality.
Sarkozy is a polarizing personality and some of his most ardent followers identify with him to the point of fanaticism. Criticism of Sarkozy in the present "climate" could indeed have made Mme Royal a target for recrimination.
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