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| French MPs declare wealth in armchairs, watches and kayaks | French MPs declare wealth in armchairs, watches and kayaks |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| The French press called it Le Grand Déballage, taken as the Great Revelation or the Great Naming and Shaming, depending on what side of the political fence you sat. | The French press called it Le Grand Déballage, taken as the Great Revelation or the Great Naming and Shaming, depending on what side of the political fence you sat. |
| Monday was deadline day for French MPs to reveal their wealth and assets in an historic exercise following the shaming of a former minister who lied about having money in a secret Swiss bank account. | Monday was deadline day for French MPs to reveal their wealth and assets in an historic exercise following the shaming of a former minister who lied about having money in a secret Swiss bank account. |
| The result was embarrassment for a variety of reasons. Michèle Delaunay, the minister for the elderly, was concerned that "ordinary French people" might find her wealth, estimated at €5.4m (£4.6m) – including €3m in property, a €200,000 art collection and €15,000 in jewels plus €10,000 of watches – "difficult to understand". | The result was embarrassment for a variety of reasons. Michèle Delaunay, the minister for the elderly, was concerned that "ordinary French people" might find her wealth, estimated at €5.4m (£4.6m) – including €3m in property, a €200,000 art collection and €15,000 in jewels plus €10,000 of watches – "difficult to understand". |
| On a different scale, housing minister Cécile Duflot, of the Green party, had already become the subject of internet derision after admitting she owns a 1999 Renault Twingo worth €1,500. Her party colleague, former presidential candidate Eva Joly, went even better, disclosing that she owns two kayaks which are "expensive because they're made of carbon". | On a different scale, housing minister Cécile Duflot, of the Green party, had already become the subject of internet derision after admitting she owns a 1999 Renault Twingo worth €1,500. Her party colleague, former presidential candidate Eva Joly, went even better, disclosing that she owns two kayaks which are "expensive because they're made of carbon". |
| Arnaud Montebourg, the minister for industrial renewal and pinup boy for the "Made in France" campaign, was forced to admit he owns a €4,500 armchair from the celebrated American designer Charles Eames. | Arnaud Montebourg, the minister for industrial renewal and pinup boy for the "Made in France" campaign, was forced to admit he owns a €4,500 armchair from the celebrated American designer Charles Eames. |
| Having no ministerial post, Jean-Luc Mélenchon, head of the Parti de Gauche, who had opposed the great confession, did not have to declare anything. However, he could not resist making an unofficial declaration of assets on his blog as the first of the ministers' declarations became known last week: "I'm 1.74 metres tall. I weight 79kg. My shirt size is 41/42. My trouser size is 42, and I take a size 42 shoe. All my hair is my own and is not dyed," he wrote. He also admitted owning an apartment, a house, some savings and 12,000 books. But he added he had "no horses". | Having no ministerial post, Jean-Luc Mélenchon, head of the Parti de Gauche, who had opposed the great confession, did not have to declare anything. However, he could not resist making an unofficial declaration of assets on his blog as the first of the ministers' declarations became known last week: "I'm 1.74 metres tall. I weight 79kg. My shirt size is 41/42. My trouser size is 42, and I take a size 42 shoe. All my hair is my own and is not dyed," he wrote. He also admitted owning an apartment, a house, some savings and 12,000 books. But he added he had "no horses". |
| Some of those wandering the Gallic corridors of power, however, were saying nothing. Claude Bartolone, the Socialist president of the Assemblée Nationale, is not obliged to reveal his wealth and has said he will not do so. | Some of those wandering the Gallic corridors of power, however, were saying nothing. Claude Bartolone, the Socialist president of the Assemblée Nationale, is not obliged to reveal his wealth and has said he will not do so. |
| "I have serious concerns about the respect of privacy," Bartolone said. "I'm concerned about any initiative that could feed popularism. To declare, check and punish, that's transparency. To make it public, that's voyeurism," he told Le Figaro newspaper. | "I have serious concerns about the respect of privacy," Bartolone said. "I'm concerned about any initiative that could feed popularism. To declare, check and punish, that's transparency. To make it public, that's voyeurism," he told Le Figaro newspaper. |
| Socialist president François Hollande gave all 38 ministers until 5pm French time on Monday to declare their assets on the government's website in a push to "clean up" French politics. It is the first time such an operation has been attempted. | Socialist president François Hollande gave all 38 ministers until 5pm French time on Monday to declare their assets on the government's website in a push to "clean up" French politics. It is the first time such an operation has been attempted. |
| Hollande said he would not be publishing a list of his material assets as they "had not changed in the last year". | Hollande said he would not be publishing a list of his material assets as they "had not changed in the last year". |
| As is customary for French presidents, Hollande published his declaration, showing he was worth around €1.17m (£940,000), when he entered the Elysée in May 2012. | As is customary for French presidents, Hollande published his declaration, showing he was worth around €1.17m (£940,000), when he entered the Elysée in May 2012. |
| This included a house at Mougins in the Alpes Maritimes worth €800,000 and two apartments in Cannes worth €370,000 together. | This included a house at Mougins in the Alpes Maritimes worth €800,000 and two apartments in Cannes worth €370,000 together. |
| The "moralisation" move follows the resignation of former budget minister Jérôme Cahuzac, the man in charge of rooting out tax evasion, who was found to have money hidden away in a Swiss bank account. | |
| Cahuzac had denied the accusations "eye-to-eye" with Hollande and in front of the Assemblée Nationale, but eventually confessed to having the account. He is now under formal investigation for "laundering the proceeds of tax evasion". | Cahuzac had denied the accusations "eye-to-eye" with Hollande and in front of the Assemblée Nationale, but eventually confessed to having the account. He is now under formal investigation for "laundering the proceeds of tax evasion". |
| Opposition MPs from the centre-right UMP have condemned the transparency push. | Opposition MPs from the centre-right UMP have condemned the transparency push. |
| For UMP president Jean-François Copé, Le Grand Déballage was an attempt to name and shame. He said it was "voyeurism and hypocrisy". Former centre-right prime minister Alain Juppé agreed, saying it "was of no use in the moralisation of public life". | For UMP president Jean-François Copé, Le Grand Déballage was an attempt to name and shame. He said it was "voyeurism and hypocrisy". Former centre-right prime minister Alain Juppé agreed, saying it "was of no use in the moralisation of public life". |
| Political analyst Luc Rouban told BFMTV: "In general, it's not good to have significant wealth when one is of the left. In a period of crisis, it creates a backlash." | Political analyst Luc Rouban told BFMTV: "In general, it's not good to have significant wealth when one is of the left. In a period of crisis, it creates a backlash." |
| French sociologist Janine Mossuz-Lavau told AFP that the French people found it "much more difficult to talk about money than about sex". | French sociologist Janine Mossuz-Lavau told AFP that the French people found it "much more difficult to talk about money than about sex". |
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