Stay-away senator pockets €150k

CORSICAN senator François Vendasi, 71, is being paid €13,000 a month despite visiting the Senate only once a year.

Newspaper France Soir named Mr Vendasi, who admits he "prefers to stay on my patch", as the champion of absenteeism.

Parliamentary regulations are supposed to eradicate absenteeism, but the Senate does not apply the rules, believing it is able to self-regulate, according to Regards Citoyens, an association that monitors politicians’ activities.