Sarko seeks distance from Mad Bernie, his losing pal

Meet the new minister for French sport. Two days after France's rugby rout at the hands of Argentina, Bernard Laporte, the team manager, joins President Sarkozy's cabinet tomorrow with a loser's aura and the threat of investigation for tax fraud.

Political insiders are betting that Laporte, 43, blamed for France's pitiful fourth place in the World Cup, will not last long in the post of State Secretary for Youth and Sport. Sarko offered ambiguous support over the weekend after word that inspectors had reported false book-keeping and other serious irregularities in Laporte's varied business activites.

Defending his friend, Sarko recalled that everyone thought Laporte was a genius when France knocked New Zealand out of the world cup two weeks ago. "Life is made of victories and failures. You have to know how to judge a man with a little distance," he said. Laporte had not been found guilty of anything, the President added.

"Mad Bernie" -- a nickname that alludes to the coach's loud mouth and autocratic ways -- was nominated by Sarkozy last June as just the kind of dynamic, unconventional figure that he needed to energise his government. Sarkozy wanted him to exemplify his own winning doctrine in the Cup. "I won and now it's up to you to do it," the President told Laporte and the players on the eve of the tournament.

Even before France was beaten in the semi-final by England and humiliated 10--34 by Argentina, knives were out for the flamboyant south-westerner who owns casinos, restaurants and a vineyard and appears in commercials for ham and other products. Jealous rivals in Sarkozy's Union for a Popular Majority (UMP) questioned his business activities and said he was unqualified for the government post, which is subordinate to Roselyn Bachelot, Minister the Health, Sports and Youth.

Enemies in the government, including Bachelot, are suspected of leaking the tax audit which has been mysteriously shelved for nearly a year. Inspectors found breaches including suspected embezzlement, disguised income and false accounting in Olé Bodega, a restaurant chain of which Laporte is a part owner, according to media reports over the weekend.

They had also traced suspicious investments by Laporte in the Caribbean, but the tax authority has not followed up the inspectors' call for a formal investigation, le Monde said. Prosecutors have, however, decided not to proceed with a separate case involving alleged influence peddling. In this Laporte was alleged to have offered a casino owner to use his friendship with Sarko, then Interior Minister, to obtain a license for slot machines.

Laporte, whose shaven head and small spectacles make him a comedian's delight, said today that the favouritism case arose out of a misunderstood joke and he is confident that the tax inquiry would clear him. "I have a clear conscience," he said in le Journal du Dimanche. "There is no inquiry going on. It's just about a company that was inspected, as happens all the time. Do you think I would accept this post if I had the slightest doubts ?"

The son of an electrician and auto-didact had his first run-in with Bachelot, his new boss and tough political veteran, last week after he said that he would only stay in his ministerial post as long as it pleased him. She riposted that his duty was to serve France, not just to please himself.

The media are comparing Laporte, a former scrum-half for Gaillac, a club near Toulouse, to Bernard Tapie, a colourful tycoon, who went to prison for fraud after serving in the Cabinet of President Mitterrand in the 1980s.

But Le Parisien said that Laporte was doing no more than Sarko by retaining his business interests while serving in government. Sarkozy remains a partner, albeit an inactive one, in his Paris law firm.

Laporte may have his wings clipped if, as rumoured, Sarkozy decides to take away his responsibility for youth and give it to Maud Fontenoy, 30, a round-the-world sailor with whom he has lately become friends.

I'll be accused by Ros and others of writing more gossip, but here's a photo of Fontenoy. Readers of this blog may recall Sarko's medal-pinning incident with her.  Sarko, a bachelor again, took her to Cardiff to watch the quarter final rugby match with New Zealand and she has been attending his parties over the past couple of weeks.       

Comments

[Julie D]

Sarkozy cannot allow himself to be associated with the appearance of sleaze like this. We are beginning to have enough of this bling-bling presidency. Maud Fontenoy is 30 and not much good as a radio show host. What qualifies her to be a minister ?

[rocket]

Bernard Laporte 6 weeks and then out!

"Sarkozy a besoin de revoir sa copie" in more ways than one.

[Lilly]

A-HA! - And who else is aware of this?

I'm impatient to see a poll showing the French public approval rate of Sarko's new choice.

[azloon]

if i were shown this photo with no reference, i would guess it was a defendant at the nurenberg war crimes trial.

[Dominique]

Laporte is a disgrace. I just hope Sarko is not that stupid.

If he becomes minister, it will just show that politics just disapeared, that we are governed by "pipolization" and that Sarko was not strong enough to resist the mediatic wave and dictatorship.

poor us...

[Daniel Strohl]

Julie D,

"Maud Fontenoy is 30 and not much good as a radio show host".

This is not exactly my opinion - I have heard her several times on Europe I. Of course, she lacks experience, but at 30, you can't have been a (successful) sailing champion and a few months after, be a perfect radio show host. Some of the latter are no good even at 50 ...

I don't know if she has the required qualifications to be a minister (mais la valeur n'attend pas le nombre des années).

What I know for sure is that Laporte does not have them - if his nomination is confirmed but if he stays no more than 6 weeks (Rocket's prediction), it is only a mistake. If he stays for too long i.e over one or two months (délai de décence), this will be a big mistake. And I will present my condolences to Mr.Fillon and Mrs. Bachelot, who do not deserve such a political and human burden !

[Sébastien]

To Julie D:

A nice smile and generous breasts are enough to qualify her in SuperSarko's government.

Does she need more to apply what the boss wants?

Anyway, that's a good choice to replace Cecilia as partner if not as minister.

[:terry]

Charles:

Don't take any m..de from Ros. Tabloid up your blog. You'll still have me.

BTW: Profanity always sounds better in a foreign language.
[Thanks and yes, Terry, but a lot of readers here are French, so I've diluted it. CB]

[Barrie Dee]

I have finally figured it out!!!
President Sarkozy is really the ENERGIZER BUNNY!!!

[Robert Marchenoir]

"if i were shown this photo with no reference, i would guess it was a defendant at the nurenberg war crimes trial."

Oh! no, Azloon. Wearing such spectacles is much, much worse an offence than that.

[Dot KING]

Laporte isn't a minister, he Secretary of State for Sport - and it's still a scandal. I don't think he'll last long in the post because France didn't win the Rugby World Cup - the loser doesn't contribute to the public all-powerful image and doesn't permit the forward development of the personality cult.
Yup, still think that, and the reading of the Guy Moquet letter in lycées, obligatory from today, is just another way of establishing his hold on . . . everything and everybody.
A student friend of mine once said "if they can get you to wear a tie, they can get you to do anything". I hope the teachers resist this imposition of the Moquet letter in great numbers.
The pity of the Guy Moquet "affaire"" is that the letter (as well as the reading of it) is being parodied by critics, comics, chroniclers, leading to a banalisation and a devaluing of its meaning and those who paid that price.
Does Sarkozy really think that in generations to come, lycéens and lycéennes will say, "we read this letter on this date because the Great Monsieur Sarkozy said we should"? I don't think so. He's more likely to be remembered for putting his ex-wife's friends into government posts and living a life of luxury.
BTW has anyone seen anything of him jogging recently - or was this just the hors d'oeuvre??
As for Maude Fontenoy, what is there to prove that she has any interest in politics, any views she wants to share, any drive to improve the world? (Naïvely, I still believe that politics is about people and not "pipol"). If he sidelines many more of his experienced and committed party colleagues (subjects?), he could soon regret it.
There are talented and politically committed people to parachute into power if that's the way he wants to compose his government, but more to the point, there are elected members who have supported him through his rise and rise (I think it's unfair to call them "jealous rivals" - their dismay at these appointments is legitimate IMO).
If Ms Fontenoy becomes the next Mme Sarkozy, at least he won't have to lie about her absences and disappearing acts. And he will be regarded as still being able to "pull". YUK! Another woman good for his image?

[Ros]

Terry
I wasn't meaning to write m..de to Charles - just making a comment. Anyhow today's blog is informative (I didn't know any of this) & amusing. If you want to read real rubbish go and read the newspaper blog by Matthew Campbell - http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/europe/article2702791.ece

[Daniel Strohl]

Julie,

"What qualifies her to be a minister?"
As my wife puts it, "au moins, elle sait mener sa barque" (at least, she knows how to run her boat).

One could say the same about Laporte, regarding his various dubious businesses. But let us nevertheless hope that he will run on ground soon (se planter sur un caillou, ou se f ... au sec, comme on dit dans la marine).

[qwerty]

No, the energiser bunny was Tapie, remember?
Maud Fontenoy is actually pretty good on LCI (their environment program).
Sarkozy is showing signs of amateurism and haste, he'd better deal with that before it becomes a problem. In spite of the fact that he thought out his political program years in advance, and therefore should be ready for anything, he has (1) already backed out on/diluted parts of said program (see: autonomy of universities) and (2) taken a few questionable initiatives (see: Laporte, and the letter of Guy Mocquet, which will, looking back, appear ridiculous).

[Terry]

CB:

M..de is still m..de, even watered down. Sorry, for the trouble.

P.S. I was only kidding, Ros.

[Dot KING]

Speaking of Energiser Bunnies - interesting then that on today's 13h France Inter news, Bernard Tapie was the one whose opinion they asked on the appointment of Bernard Laporte. According to Tapie (who by the way has no interest in being a member of Sarkozy's govt (tu parles!)) Laporte is a good guy, solid, honest, successful, straightforward . . .
But whenever I've seen or heard Tapie recently, I've wondered to what extent he's extracting the urine (CB I've cleaned up the expression in advance) :)

[azloon]

Dot

what in the world does this mean:

"he's extracting the urine"

[Daniel Strohl]

Dot, Azloon

Anglo-Saxons from both sides of the pond don't even understand themselves in their supposedly common jargon...

[Hannah]

I quite like the gossip to be honest!

[Dot KING]

it is a euphemised British expression, perhaps typically so - I doubt CB would let it on to his nice clean blog, sanitized for your protection . . . :)
though I'm obliged admit the possibility that in asking the question, you are also, taking the urine! ;)

[rocket]

Daniel

"Anglo-Saxons from both sides of the pond don't even understand themselves in their supposedly common jargon..."

I presume there is supposed to be a smiley after that last one. I also wonder how many of our French friends understand "les quebécois" across the pond in their supposedly common jargon...

http://www.republiquelibre.org/cousture/FRANC2.HTM

Çé tsiguidou!

[qwerty]

I'm a bit dense, I had to google "extracting the urine" and then didn't even get the non-edulcorated expression, but Urban Dictionary explains all.
I've been in meetings with Tapie, I suspect he does take the p... in the sense that il est capable de rouler tout le monde.

[Daniel Strohl]

Rocket,

Of course, I meant a smiley with the transatlantic jargon !

Québecois have many funny expressions, and they use more French expressions than we do here. For instance, in France, "nous allons faire du shopping" - in Québec, "nous allons magasiner" and so on ...

Your link is interesting.

[David Gwynn-Jones]

"Anglo-Saxons from both sides of the pond don't even understand themselves in their supposedly common jargon..."

I think it was George Bernard Shaw who said the British and the Americans were "two nations divided by a common language" - in fact that relationship is a little like the Franco-Brit one.

The Brits don't like the brash, sink-or-swim Yankee ways and regard themselves as a more civilised and ordered society (or at least until recently) - a bit like the French when comparing themselves to the "Anglo-Saxons" (I'm glad that they exclude us Celts!)