An article from Newsweek details the current drama in the French government involving a member of President Nicolas Sarkozy's hand-picked government, cultural minister Frédéric Mitterrand. For the past couple of years, Sarkozy has squashed political opposition by practicing ouverture, a strategy by which he appoints members of opposing political parties from the left to the right to important government jobs. Because Sarkozy ensures that everyone has someone from their party in the government, opposition has little ground on which to complain. This strategy had worked wonders for Sarkozy until just recently, when the controversial contents of an autobiographical novel written by Mitterrand was brought to light. This novel, written from the perspective of Mitterrand, depicts the French cultural minister having relations in Thailand years ago with what Mitterrand calls "boys," however Mitterrand claims publicly that he only had relations with men his own age. In any case, debate is ongoing as to what to make of Mitterrand's conflicting statements and is finally giving Sarkozy's opposition something to talk about.
By: Kimberly Severns
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