President to make dual-house speech

PRESIDENT Sarkozy will address both houses of parliament in a “congress” for the first time.

The president was given the right to hold such an address (similar to the USA’s state of the union speech) in a constitutional reform bill last year.

He will outline his latest ideas for Europe and dealing with the economic crisis to MPs and senators at Versailles on June 22.

In a statement the Elysée Palace said that the address was to follow-up the vote of confidence in Sarkozy’s UMP party following their strong support in last weekend’s European elections.

It said: “The French people expressed their convictions, but also their expectations. The president wants to explain to them the political directions he is proposing to move in.”

As soon as the UMP’s success was known (28% of the vote), the president had said that he would be taking initiatives opening up new areas of work in the next few days.

“Europe must change, reforms must continue,” he said.

A ministerial reshuffle, required because agriculture and justice ministers Michel Barnier and Rachida Dati have become MEPs, is expected to be announced days after the president’s Versailles speech.

“First of all you say what you are going to do and after that you choose the people to do it,” Sarkozy said.

Embarassingly for the government, Work Minister Brice Hortefeux has accidentally been elected an MEP, having accepted to be on the list in the Centre region to add prestige, but not expecting such a good result to actually see him elected.

If Sarkozy instead keeps him in government and lets another list member take his place he will be breaking his own previous instructions that anyone elected should do the job.
Photo: Medef