Nepotism

[____no5]

Sarkozy accused of nepotism after handing top post to 23-year-old son.

President Sarkozy caused embarrassment among his political allies yesterday with news that his 23-year-old student son is to be handed the powerful post of boss of Europe’s biggest business district.

As the Opposition cried nepotism, stalwarts of Mr Sarkozy’s Union for a Popular Movement said that the President was going too far in lining up Jean, a third-year student, to head the public agency that runs La Défense, the island of corporate towers in the west of Paris.

Patrick Devedjian, a Cabinet minister and the current Défense boss, is being moved aside for the President’s second son. He reacted bitterly yesterday with a quotation from Corneille, the 17th-century dramatist: “For souls nobly born, valour does not await the passing of years.” Privately, other UMP officials said that Mr Sarkozy was exposing himself to accusations of dynasty building.

Patrick Jarry, the Communist Mayor of Nanterre, which borders La Défense, said that the President’s younger son had no legitimacy and no qualifications for such a post. “This is nothing less than an attempt to ensure the permanence of the clan and lock down the executive power in the area,” he said.
[...]

the whole article here

 

[JackKnife]

Sarkozy accused of nepotism after handing top post to 23-year-old son.

President Sarkozy caused embarrassment among his political allies yesterday with news that his 23-year-old student son is to be handed the powerful post of boss of Europe’s biggest business district.

As the Opposition cried nepotism, stalwarts of Mr Sarkozy’s Union for a Popular Movement said that the President was going too far in lining up Jean, a third-year student, to head the public agency that runs La Défense, the island of corporate towers in the west of Paris.

Patrick Devedjian, a Cabinet minister and the current Défense boss, is being moved aside for the President’s second son. He reacted bitterly yesterday with a quotation from Corneille, the 17th-century dramatist: “For souls nobly born, valour does not await the passing of years.” Privately, other UMP officials said that Mr Sarkozy was exposing himself to accusations of dynasty building.

Patrick Jarry, the Communist Mayor of Nanterre, which borders La Défense, said that the President’s younger son had no legitimacy and no qualifications for such a post. “This is nothing less than an attempt to ensure the permanence of the clan and lock down the executive power in the area,” he said.
[...]

the whole article here

President Sarkozy tends behave like his neighbour President Berlusconi. For example, both try to restrict the freedom of the press. The present story extends the range of Sarkozy's misuse of authority.
If, say, any the US president had done only 10% of what Sarkozy did since he became president, he would have undoubtly been fired.
As you can see, I do not like Sarkozy at all...

 

[____no5]

He is by far more dangerous than Berluskoni or Bush, cause he's by far more intelligent and charismatic than them.
In the -likely- case that he stays in power for a total of 10 years he will harm France enormously.

Unfortunately his image is very strong outside France, people have no idea what Sarkozy means...

 

[Forostar]

Jean decided not to take this job.

 

[Natalie]

Wise move by Jean.

 

[Perun]

And in Germany, the media have a field day when a minister allegedly uses her official car for private purposes or Merkel invites a banker for dinner...

 

[____no5]

Jean decided not to take this job.

Wise move by Jean.

I'm happy with the result, but yet enough sceptic...
Firstly, knowing the Sarko-spirit, I know his father will not let him like this, he'll put him in a key position again
Secondly -and most important -the fact that they had everything ready for the vacancy
is something very scary on its own:

1) Everything was prepared for it: the council was ready to vote for Jean -and he was the only candidate, mind you
2) Jean & his father initially defended the idea, like if it was something very natural
3) A relatively big percentage of UMP kept its mouth closed.

The fact that Jean "changed" his mind, is the result of a big (and healthy) reaction inside France,
and it shows that this country has still some resistances to phenomena like this,
which have nothing to do with real democracy.

Someone has to look Forostar's catalog for the freedom of press and see France's ridiculously low rank.
Don't doubt who's the name behind it...
France, the country where modern democracy was born...

---

And in Germany, the media have a field day when a minister allegedly uses her official car for private purposes or Merkel invites a banker for dinner...

Germany is clearly the healthiest (regarding lots of means) among powerful European states


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EDIT: Jean became a simple member of the board. Not bad, wise in deed

 

[Perun]

Germany is clearly the healthiest (regarding lots of means) among powerful European states

I disagree, but can you explain what you mean with "regarding lots of means"?

 

[____no5]

Economy, status of life, function of democracy, what more? You live in a relatively awesome state mate!!

 

[Perun]

Sorry mate, but have you ever been to East Germany? Have you seen the people carrying bag after bag of empty bottles to get the deposit? The queues in front of welfare offices every morning? Do you have any idea what it's like in the non-polished parts of the country? Germany has been in recession since 1989. That means, the country has not made any money for twenty years. Instead, it has invested money in reunification, with the result that East Germans are wandering off to the West in millions. Is that what you call "awesome"?

 

[____no5]

You're right, I didn't think about it at all, to me Germany is unconsciously the ex West Germany,
and that's a terrible mistake, in deed.
From the other hand, in terms of numbers Germany is still the most awesome powerful European Country
...I'm getting old and I'm thinking more and more numbers...

Let's take it to the other way: We have France, UK, Italy, Germany: The big four.  Which one do you prefer ??

 

[Forostar]

You're right, I didn't think about it at all, to me Germany is unconsciously the ex West Germany,
and that's a terrible mistake, in deed.
From the other hand, in terms of numbers Germany is still the most awesome powerful European Country
...I'm getting old and I'm thinking more and more numbers...

Let's take it to the other way: We have France, UK, Italy, Germany: The big four.  Which one do you prefer ??

Depends on what you mean? Holiday? I haven't lived in those countries so I can't judge. Without sounding arrogant, I doubt if living in those countries would be better than in my own. Perhaps it'd be cool to live in a calmer place (at older age), and then those countries might be interesting. Though Holland has a lot to offer as well.

 

[Perun]

You're right, I didn't think about it at all, to me Germany is unconsciously the ex West Germany,
and that's a terrible mistake, in deed.

Yes, you should change that point of view. Many Germans share it, and that is why this country is so fucked up.

 

[____no5]

Depends on what you mean? Holiday?

No, not holidays, we speak living there, permanently!!

I doubt if living in those countries would be better than in my own.

I LOVE Holland and I would really love to live there. Rotterdam for me, is like the American Dream...
But here we speak about the big four of Europe, it's for showing Perun that his country is not as bad as he thinks.
Well I would have chosen France for the moment,
but I really doubt if my choice would be the same in the end of Sarkozy's presidency

Yes, you should change that point of view. Many Germans share it, and that is why this country is so fucked up.

You're absolutely right, but you see my point don't you ?? Despite some inconveniences Germany is still a nice place to live 

 

[Perun]

You're absolutely right, but you see my point don't you ?? Despite some inconveniences Germany is still a nice place to live 

SOME INCONVENIENCES???? Do you even have a fucking idea what you are talking about??? Do you even know what the word "inconvenience" means? If yes, that has to be one of the most cynical comment I have ever read!

 

[____no5]

I was meaning some shity things...

 

[Perun]

Yes, but the word "inconvenience" is a cynical euphemism. I expected better from you.

 

[____no5]

Sorry about the wrong word then...
I understand that it is terrible to see your country divided in two after 20 years. It's awful.

 

[Perun]

I understand that it is terrible to see your country divided in two after 20 years. It's awful.

It's never been better.

What is much worse is seeing people on the streets picking up cigarette bums from the street to smoke them, people working full-time for wages that are under state welfare, and whatnot, in what is supposed to be one of the richest countries in the world. Sometimes the scenes on the street reminisce the immediate post-war years.

 

[____no5]

I understand better now, why you dislike Germany.
But hey, every reasonable and fair-minded person is in a relation of love and hate with his country, if you see what I mean.