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| French Leader Brushes Aside Questions Over Affair | French Leader Brushes Aside Questions Over Affair |
| (about 3 hours later) | |
| PARIS — It was arguably the most important speech of François Hollande’s presidency. His job approval remains at nearly the lowest level of any president in French history. His economic policies have failed to make major inroads in addressing chronic unemployment and persistent deficits. His Socialist Party is restive. | PARIS — It was arguably the most important speech of François Hollande’s presidency. His job approval remains at nearly the lowest level of any president in French history. His economic policies have failed to make major inroads in addressing chronic unemployment and persistent deficits. His Socialist Party is restive. |
| Then there was that other matter weighing on him, with 600 journalists assembled to see him at the Élysée Palace and the audience around the world watching with an intensity rarely accorded to a French policy agenda: the revelation last week of his affair with an actress and the drama of France’s brokenhearted first lady checking herself into a hospital, “in shock,” according to her staff. | Then there was that other matter weighing on him, with 600 journalists assembled to see him at the Élysée Palace and the audience around the world watching with an intensity rarely accorded to a French policy agenda: the revelation last week of his affair with an actress and the drama of France’s brokenhearted first lady checking herself into a hospital, “in shock,” according to her staff. |
| So after a long prelude in which he delivered a sober and detailed analysis of France’s challenges and his proposals for addressing them, the questions began, and the first was on the affair and where it left his companion and official consort, Valérie Trierweiler. She had been scheduled to accompany him on his visit to Washington next month but has remained hospitalized. | So after a long prelude in which he delivered a sober and detailed analysis of France’s challenges and his proposals for addressing them, the questions began, and the first was on the affair and where it left his companion and official consort, Valérie Trierweiler. She had been scheduled to accompany him on his visit to Washington next month but has remained hospitalized. |
| “Everyone in his personal life can go through difficult periods; this is the case for us. These are painful moments,” Mr. Hollande responded, evidently seeking to acknowledge reality. “But I have one principle: Private matters should be dealt with privately.” | “Everyone in his personal life can go through difficult periods; this is the case for us. These are painful moments,” Mr. Hollande responded, evidently seeking to acknowledge reality. “But I have one principle: Private matters should be dealt with privately.” |
| However, just seconds later it seemed obvious that much in his personal life had yet to be resolved. When the journalist who asked the first question, Alain Barluet, the head of the Presidential Press Association, asked whether Ms. Trierweiler was still the first lady, Mr. Hollande was noncommittal, suggesting that either he had not decided or that he was not about to address the issue publicly while she was still in the hospital. | However, just seconds later it seemed obvious that much in his personal life had yet to be resolved. When the journalist who asked the first question, Alain Barluet, the head of the Presidential Press Association, asked whether Ms. Trierweiler was still the first lady, Mr. Hollande was noncommittal, suggesting that either he had not decided or that he was not about to address the issue publicly while she was still in the hospital. |
| He responded that he would make clear who the first lady is before leaving for Washington in a few weeks. | He responded that he would make clear who the first lady is before leaving for Washington in a few weeks. |
| The news conference was heavily covered by foreign news organizations, some of them clearly judging its value to be in something other than Mr. Hollande’s view on government regulation. But his responses will most likely satisfy the French, said Pierre Haski, the top editor at Rue89, an online publication, who was among those attending. | The news conference was heavily covered by foreign news organizations, some of them clearly judging its value to be in something other than Mr. Hollande’s view on government regulation. But his responses will most likely satisfy the French, said Pierre Haski, the top editor at Rue89, an online publication, who was among those attending. |
| “There was a kind of sincerity in his first statement,” said Mr. Haski, adding: “Obviously anyone can be in his shoes and would be so embarrassed to have the dirty laundry of a couple in public. I don’t think this will be analyzed as anything against him, to be honest.” | “There was a kind of sincerity in his first statement,” said Mr. Haski, adding: “Obviously anyone can be in his shoes and would be so embarrassed to have the dirty laundry of a couple in public. I don’t think this will be analyzed as anything against him, to be honest.” |
| Polling has suggested that most French sympathize with Mr. Hollande and do not believe that he should be evaluated based on the women in his life. | |
| The liaisons of French politicians and their demands for privacy are viewed as more acceptable than they are in the United States, which has a more puritanical approach. And as important, the French president still enjoys some of the respect that used to be due a monarch, so his private life is not a matter of discussion unless he chooses it to be. | The liaisons of French politicians and their demands for privacy are viewed as more acceptable than they are in the United States, which has a more puritanical approach. And as important, the French president still enjoys some of the respect that used to be due a monarch, so his private life is not a matter of discussion unless he chooses it to be. |
| French commentators drew a sharp line between what Mr. Hollande said about his private life and what he said about economics, seeing both as important. On economics, some welcomed what they called a change in tone on fiscal matters, describing him as more decisive, leaderlike and clear. | French commentators drew a sharp line between what Mr. Hollande said about his private life and what he said about economics, seeing both as important. On economics, some welcomed what they called a change in tone on fiscal matters, describing him as more decisive, leaderlike and clear. |
| His economic policy moves gratified business and upset labor, but suggested that he was ready to make some of the structural changes, including lowering taxes and cutting the budget, that he had avoided since his election in 2012. | |
| Although the center-right opposition criticized him for trying to divert the public’s attention from his private life by outlining a dizzying number of policies, supporters saw it as part of an effort to rebrand himself politically and show that he is not antibusiness. | Although the center-right opposition criticized him for trying to divert the public’s attention from his private life by outlining a dizzying number of policies, supporters saw it as part of an effort to rebrand himself politically and show that he is not antibusiness. |
| Mr. Hollande proposed a raft of new policies under the rubric of a “responsibility pact” among business, labor and the government. | Mr. Hollande proposed a raft of new policies under the rubric of a “responsibility pact” among business, labor and the government. |
| He promised a roughly $41 billion cut in payroll taxes for business and independent workers and said he would reduce the French budget by about $70 billion by 2017, which would reduce the deficit by 4 percent. | He promised a roughly $41 billion cut in payroll taxes for business and independent workers and said he would reduce the French budget by about $70 billion by 2017, which would reduce the deficit by 4 percent. |
| François Heisbourg, a political and policy analyst at the Foundation for Strategic Research, noted that whether talking about the economy or his personal life, Mr. Hollande had shown self-control throughout the news conference, refusing to be drawn into emotional displays. | François Heisbourg, a political and policy analyst at the Foundation for Strategic Research, noted that whether talking about the economy or his personal life, Mr. Hollande had shown self-control throughout the news conference, refusing to be drawn into emotional displays. |
| Yet, Mr. Heisbourg said, there was a certain vagueness on both counts. | Yet, Mr. Heisbourg said, there was a certain vagueness on both counts. |
| While Mr. Hollande was clear on the tax cut, there were few details on how he planned to pay for it or how he proposed cutting the budget. | While Mr. Hollande was clear on the tax cut, there were few details on how he planned to pay for it or how he proposed cutting the budget. |
| Similarly, the only clear thing about his personal life was that the drama was “not over,” Mr. Heisbourg said. | Similarly, the only clear thing about his personal life was that the drama was “not over,” Mr. Heisbourg said. |
| Mr. Hollande made clear that “this is going to go on for another few weeks,” said Mr. Heisbourg, referring to the president’s assertion that he will not answer the question of who is the first lady until close to the date of his departure for the United States in the second week of February. | Mr. Hollande made clear that “this is going to go on for another few weeks,” said Mr. Heisbourg, referring to the president’s assertion that he will not answer the question of who is the first lady until close to the date of his departure for the United States in the second week of February. |
| “So it’s messier than we realized,” Mr. Heisbourg said. | “So it’s messier than we realized,” Mr. Heisbourg said. |