Why France Believes the Strauss-Kahn Plot

by Roland Michel Tremblay

Fifty-seven per cent of people in France believe the head of the IMF was framed on sexual assault charges.

Le Monde confirmed in a poll conducted by CSA that for 57 per cent of the French population, Dominique Strauss-Kahn is the victim of a plot. Reviewing the French press reveals that most of the mass media in France published articles quoting political figures, including political rivals, stating that they do not believe that the sexual assault charges against Strauss-Kahn – allegedly involving a chambermaid at a New York hotel – are genuine.

In the meantime, the career of the former head of the International Monetary Fund and potential future French president, who was seen to be more favourable to people than to global corporations, is over – unless somehow public belief in his innocence could be turned to his advantage, even if found guilty by “forged” evidence.

Here is a review of some of the articles in the French press about this case.
On May 16, Le Figaro published an article entitled, “The thesis of the plot flowers on the web and with politicians,” in which the newspaper argues that the seeds of the conspiracy theory were planted when a “militant” in the UMP, a rival political party to Strauss-Kahn’s Socialists, tweeted news of Strauss-Kahn’s arrest before the press got wind of it. “Denuded of any element of proof, it has nevertheless been evoked by responsible politicians,” the paper reported.

It reported how the website Le Post questioned certain troubling facts in an article “DSK arrested: a young UMP first on the info”: “The promptness with which Jonathan Pinet relayed the information of the arrest of DSK, the fact that Arnaud Dassier, one of the investors of the site Atlantico, already author of revelations about the Porsche, would have been one of the first to have re-tweeted the information, the fact that the site 24heuresactu, reputed close to the right, was the first French site to publish the information.” Le Post mentions that Dassier was responsible for the internet campaign of Nicolas Sarkozy in 2007. (The Porsche incident stems from when Strauss-Kahn, a socialist, and his wife came out of the said car in Paris in front of their home. At the time, the right took the opportunity to tarnish his image in the media.)

From Le Figaro: “Was [this] the right way of getting rid of a chief of the IMF [who was] too independent in order to instead place someone better adapted to the American economic and financial situation?”, asks Bertrand Neveu on lefigaro.fr. Interrogations linked to the inconsistencies concerning DSK’s schedule were assembled in an article in Les Echos called “Several inconsistencies remain in the DSK timeline.” The article discusses how New York police changed the facts and time of the event after it was shown that Strauss-Kahn was having lunch with his daughter at the time of the alleged offence.

However, this point is of no importance now, since the issue is becoming if sex was consensual. Supporters of Strauss-Kahn wonder why he would contact the hotel to ensure that his mobile phone, which he left behind, could be returned. This does not fit with someone who was trying to flee the scene of a crime, especially since this is apparently how the NYPD found out where they could arrest Strauss-Kahn, on a plane at JFK airport.

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Davos WEF 2011: Sarkozy Says France and Germany Will 'Never Let the Euro Fail'
THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: France and Germany will never turn their backs on the euro, French President Nicolas Sarkozy has said in his most robust defence of the troubled single currency to date.

Addressing the World Economic Forum in Davos, he told speculators to be prepared for big losses if they bet against the euro. “[Germany’s] Chancellor Merkel and myself will never – do you hear me, never – let the euro fall,” he said.

“The euro is Europe. And Europe spells 60 years of peace. Therefore we will never let the euro go or be destroyed… To those who bet against the euro, watch out for your money because we are fully determined to defend the euro.”

President Sarkozy’s intervention comes with the single currency under greater strain than at any time in its short history. Davos has been abuzz with talk of a two-speed Europe, with billionaire investor George Soros warning that the “euro could possibly fall apart” under the strain.

Greece and Ireland are implementing painful pay cuts and other deflationary measures because they can not devalue, while Germany powers ahead. Ken Rogoff, the Harvard economist, has suggested Greece should be allowed to fail in an orderly fashion because its debts are insurmountable.

However, President Sarkozy said: “To imagine that we might pull out shows a complete misunderstanding of the European psychology. It has to do with our identities as Europeans.” >>> Philip Aldrick, Economics Editor, in Davos | Thursday, January 27, 2011

Nicolas Sarkozy s'engage à protéger l'euro
Les voeux du président de la République ont été enregistrés pendant la journée dans la salle des fêtes de l'Elysée. Ils ont été diffusés en différé à 20 heures simultanément sur Dailymotion, sur les principales chaînes de télévision et stations de radio. Photo : Le Figaro

LE FIGARO: «La fin de l'euro serait la fin de l'Europe», a expliqué le président lors de ses vœux aux Français. Il souhaite que l'année 2011 soit «utile», la France ne pouvant pas «se payer le luxe d'une année d'immobilisme pré-électoral».

Il avait préparé son texte plusieurs jours à l'avance. Nicolas Sarkozy a apporté un soin particulier au rituel des vœux de la Saint-Sylvestre, après une année 2010 difficile, marquée par la défaite de la droite aux régionales, l'affaire Woerth-Bettencourt, ou encore la delicate réforme des retraites, sur fond de morosité économique.

Se posant en président «protecteur», comme son entourage l'avait pressenti, il a mis l'accent sur l'importance de l'Europe pendant la crise. Le président a mis en garde contre ceux qui proposent de sortir de l'euro. «L'isolement de la France serait une folie. La fin de l'euro serait la fin de l'Europe», a déclaré le chef de l'Etat. Or «dans la tempête, (elle) a su faire face, certes pas assez complètement et souvent pas assez rapidement, mais l'Europe a tenu et l'Europe nous a protégés», a-t-il affirmé.«Je m'opposerai de toutes mes forces à un retour en arrière qui ferait fi de 60 ans de construction européenne», a-t-il appuyé dans cette déclaration radio-télédiffusée qui était également retransmise par Dailymotion. >>> Par lefigaro.fr | Vendredi 31 Décembre 2010


Voeux du Président Nicolas Sarkozy aux Français pour 2011
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Liberté, égalité … austérité? Sarkozy Clamps Down on French Ministers' Perks
THE GUARDIAN: No more cigars, flights or luxury hotels for politicians, says French president, after spate of expenses scandals

The French president, Nicolas Sarkozy, cancelled his own summer party and has insisted his ministers tighten their belts. Photograph: The Guardian
Spare a thought – and perhaps a euro – for the poor French politician.

No more taxpayer-funded Cuban cigars, private jets, or even luxury hotels. And, if Nicolas Sarkozy has his way, no more overstaffed offices and unfettered use of the ministry photocopier.

Having cancelled the Elysée palace summer garden party, the French president has decided everyone else must "make an effort" to tighten their professional belts. Anxious to be seen wielding the austerity axe following a spate of scandals over official perks, not to mention a ballooning public deficit, he is demanding ministers' spending be "vigorously reduced".

Ministers have been told that their official visits will be "strictly curtailed" and they will be encouraged to take the train, not the plane, with a reduced retinue of advisers. Away from home they must only stay in a hotel if there are no bedrooms available in state-owned buildings, such as embassies and consulates.

The order came in a letter to the prime minister, François Fillon, in which Sarkozy warned that those defying his austerity measures would face "punishment". >>> Kim Willsher in Paris | Tuesday, June 29, 2010