He insisted that he was “not a fraudster” and said his late payments were the result of psychological problems, which he described as an “administrative phobia”, explaining that he tended to let his paperwork slide.
He failed to pay taxes or rent for three years……and then became France’s trade minister.
I am constantly in awe at how shameless French ministers are in these situations, which seem to happen constantly. “Administrative phobia”? Maybe there’s something being lost in the translation here?
How the buggering hell do you not pay rent for 3 yrs (!) and not get booted out? Seriously, after 12/18/24 months wouldn’t large men be paying you a visit?
In related news ….. “France also got a powerful post – ex-Finance Minister Pierre Moscovici, a socialist, will run EU economic policy.” (BBC)
Because France is such a shining economic example to us all and Socialism has years of success, I suppose.
I believe there was a joke about this, don’t the Italians get traffic management?
Well, he did get fired at least. British MPs don’t pay their rent either (we do), and some of them apparently don’t pay their taxes either.
Also, ministers tend to come with their own big men, bigger than landlord’s big men.
If you had sat through some of the meetings I had this week, you’d be convinced that this chap genuinely is one of France’s most principled and competent people. The French are good engineers and technicians, and are wonderfully creative. But their administrative skills are laughable and their managerial skills non-existent.
Bloke with a Boat – “Because France is such a shining economic example to us all and Socialism has years of success, I suppose.”
In fairness, he won’t be standing for election any more. So he can be honest. He can do the sensible thing. It is amazing how often socialists become sensible once they no longer have to play to the gallery.
“I believe there was a joke about this, don’t the Italians get traffic management?”
It was always a flaw in the original Italian Job. As someone must have noticed before me, if Benny Hill screwed up their traffic management, how would anyone know?
He’s an example to us all!!!
Be careful with the 3 year tax claim. The french tax authorities can only go back 3 years. It is possible that he has never paid tax. You see one way to trigger an investigation if you have never paid taxes is to suddenly start paying taxes !
This sort of petty corruption seems pretty much par for the course in French politics. This is what wikipedia has to say about another (former) French Minister:
4500 Euros a month? Not a bad little back hander. Notice they did not fire him.
Notice they did not fire him.
Well, no. This is France. Failing to do the job and not bothering to turn up are not grounds for immediate dismissal.