FRANCE: French people on the streets of Paris say they expect some solutions to the country's economic problems from President Francois Hollande rather than explanations about his private life

Record ID: 402456

  • Title: FRANCE: French people on the streets of Paris say they expect some solutions to the country's economic problems from President Francois Hollande rather than explanations about his private life
  • Date: 15th January 2014
  • Summary: (SOUNDBITE) (French) PARISIAN NICOLAS SAYING: "Honestly I don't care. It's not my business, it's not his business. He should do whatever he wants as long as it does not cost the taxpayer anything."
  • Embargoed: 30th January 2014 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: France
  • Country: France
  • Topics: Domestic Politics
  • Reuters ID: LVAA1J6HIVDCI67WC4UU2WZLK42L
  • Story Text: While the foreign media was awash with coverage of the alleged affair of French President Francois Hollande with an actress, French newspapers on Wednesday (January 15) focused on the French leader's economic reforms.
    At a news conference held on Tuesday, Hollande unveiled moves to ease company taxes, cut labour charges and trim France's high public spending to revive a stagnant economy.
    French daily newspaper 'Le Parisien' said Hollande had clarified his political line, while 'Liberation' said Hollande was opening a new chapter of his mandate with the economic reforms he announced.
    French daily newspaper 'Le Figaro' described Hollande's speech as a magic trick, making a u-turn but in words only.
    People on the streets of Paris said they were not interested in Hollande's private life but some remained unimpressed with his proposed economic reforms.

    "I did not find him convincing, there is a kind of shift, we do not know which way he's going," said Nicolas a passer-by.
    But asked about the president's private life, he said it did not affect him.

    "Honestly I don't care. It's not my business, it's not his business. He should do whatever he wants as long as it does not cost the taxpayer anything," he added.

    "Everyone should do what they want with their private life. If he wants to see another woman, let him see another woman. It's his problem, not mine," agreed Jacques Brunel, another passer-by.
    Watching Hollande's news conference on Tuesday from a Parisian cafe, Ben Embarek too said his focus should be firmly on the economy.

    "Concretely what we expect are solutions concerning employment, to see unemployment coming down, and regarding his personal life, I think it's his business. I think that every person is entitled to have a private life," he said.
    Hollande, under fire over an alleged affair with an actress, refused on Tuesday to discuss his personal life but said he would clarify the status of France's first lady before a visit to the United States next month.
    His official partner, Valerie Trierweiler, has been in hospital since last Friday after a celebrity magazine published photos of what it said was Hollande in a motorcyclist's helmet visiting actress Julie Gayet for nocturnal trysts.
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