FRANCE: New minister of Foreign Affairs. De Villepin now minister of ...

[Rochambeau]

Ladies and gentleman (;)) Dominique de Villepin is not minister of Foreign affairs anymore but now minister of Interior. The new french minister of Foreign Affairs is now Michel Barnier.
You won't hear about Dominique very often in USA from now and you will have to get use to M.Barnier. (good news? bad news? ;))

More seriously, it will not change anything in french foreign policy certainly (good news? bad news? ;)) except on the fact that Michel Barnier who has a reputation of hard worker is also much more "soft" and less "lyrical and epic" then D.de Villepin is.



CV of Michel Barnier (former European Commissioner)

http://europa.eu.int/comm/commissioners/barnier/profil/cv_en.htm

Career and motivations:

http://europa.eu.int/comm/commissioners/barnier/news/gaulliste_en.htm

[hedda_foil]

1. Wow! He's even better looking than de Villepin.

[Rochambeau]

2. Official picture....

That pic is really good I must admit. According to my wife(me....:shrug: :boring: ;-) ) he has much less charm then de Villepin has...

[JI7]

10. that's too bad

while de villepin is an attractive man physically, his attractiveness rises when you hear him speak which is so passionate and intelligent. am still looking forward to seeing this new guy speak.

[sushi]

11. I agree with your wife

Dominique de Villepin has that certain something. Je ne sais quoi.
Very attractive. And he writes poetry. Is there a Mrs de Villepin?

[JI7]

5. republicans jealous of these hot french guys

[IrishBloodEngHeart]

3. this may be inappropriate

but that guy must get laid like a mofo

Rich, powerful, good looking, speaks french, sophisticated.

Holy cow, I wish I was dealt that hand.

[burrowowl]

4. He is a Gaullist

and is the on the right-wing of Chirac's party.

[JI7]

6. right wing of chirac's party

could mean left wing liberal in america.

[burrowowl]

7. There is no left-wing in America

It is just that the right-wing in France is a bit afraid of the people, they would love to get away with the Repugs and DLC Dems get away with, the French like to take to the streets and have strikes.
And although they proclaim themselves Gaullist, De Gaulle did have some honor and loved France, not French corporatis.

[JI7]

8. le pen is a different category though , right ?

you don't mean right wing as in le pen right ? only the right wing of chirac's side ?

[burrowowl]

9. Let's say that

Chirac and Co would be Faber, Krupp, Ford (before the war), etc. and Le Pen the populist Brown Shirts

[Rochambeau]

12. burrowowl in post 7 : 100% agree !

Very accurate, thank you. :thumbsup:

EDIT: same comment about post 9.