Up To Date france

Rumours over the marriage of French President Nicolas Sarkozy may have been prompted by a “financial” scheme to destabilise him, said the president’s chief communication adviser.

According to Pieree Charon, Sarkozy may have fallen foul of a scheme with “financial movements” after some reports surfaced on the internet saying that he and his wife, former model Carla Bruni-Sarkozy, were both having affairs. He said that this would be among the several lines that authorities would be following during the first round of criminal investigation into the origin of the gossips.

Allegations that the president was having an affair with Ecology Minister Chantal Jouanno, and his wife with singer Benjamin Biolay, first appeared in February on the social networking site Twitter. The couple denied the claims, which Sarkozy brushed off as idiotic “ratings”.

The rumours were spread by at least two French reporters – without confirmation – on Twitter and in a blog of the respected newspaper Journal du Dimanche’s website.

When the president complained, the site’s director was forced to resign and the blogger was laid off.

As said on a report, Sarkozy has “pressured” Hachette Filipacchi Associes – owner of the newspaper – to file a legal complaint for “fraudulent introduction of data into a computer system”.

Charon said: “There had to be a judicial procedure, so that fear would switch to the other side,” adding that, “We will go all the way so that ’such a rumour’ doesn’t happen ever again”.

Former Justice Minister Rachida Dati was compelled to deny allegations that she had been involved and warned to sue anyone who repeats them.

The popularity of French President Nicolas Sarkozy is nearing a record low, polls have revealed.

President Sarkozy’s approval ratings are almost at their lowest ever point according to figures released on Sunday.

The poll, which was carried out by Ifop between the 14 and 22 January and published the Journal du Dimance, put the approval rate for the president at 38 per cent, just one per cent higher than it was last month, despite the public expressing their approval for the way the administration has handled the earthquake in Haiti.

The low level has been attributed in part to public skepticism over Sarkozy’s outline plans for government reform.

A second contributing factor to the low level of support for the president is believed to be the ongoing controversy over the salary awarded to EDF boss Henri Proglio, who was revealed to still be in receipt of a €450,000  salary from his previous position at environmental services group Veolia after taking up the position.

Voters are also angry over the presidents seemingly nepotistic decision to install his son Jean in the lead role at a government body presiding over the business district of Paris.

The lowest ever level of approval recorded for president Sarkozy was 35 per cent in May 2008 – just one year after he took office.

The poll also revealed that 61 per cent of those surveyed were “dissatisfied” with Sarkozy.