Sarkozy’s trouble with women 2

When he came to office in May this year the French president, Nicolas Sarkozy, promised gender parity in his 15-strong government. And true to his word seven of the 15-strong cabinet are women.

But they’re not all having a smooth ride, and indeed some of them might well be marginalised in the first reshuffle, which if the French are true to form, cannot be more than a few months away.

While Rachida Dati, the justice minister, could be forgiven for her lack of experience and relative youth, surely no such excuse can be offered for the woman who has without doubt one of the most important jobs in the French government.


Christine Lagarde is the first woman to become finance minister of a G8 country and although she might be a little short of political experience (a characteristic of several of the women in the French government) she comes with a humdinger of a reputation as an antitrust and labour lawyer.

So a safe pair of hands you might think for the task of pushing through parliament all the controversial legislation Sarkozy plans to rejuvenate the French economy, including tax cuts and measures to liberalise the labour market.

In addition, Legarde is a fellow disciple of Sarkozy’s often-heard mantra “work more to earn more” and in one of her first speeches to the French parliament back in July caused a stir when she said France was a country that thinks too much and that thinking prevented reforms from being implemented!

Direct talking indeed from a woman who was the first female chairman of the US-based international law firm Baker & McKenzie and since 2005 has appeared twice in Forbes Magazine’s list of the 100 most powerful women.

But those oh-so-safe hands and plain talking have been the subject of media ridicule recently as she very ably put her foot in her mouth without anyone else’s help.

When the cost of crude oil began its dramatic rise on the international markets a couple of weeks ago Lagarde came up with a hapless solution to rocketing prices at the petrol pumps. She very helpfully suggested the French look at using other forms of transport – including bikes – which would cut down congestion and of course be good for the environment!

Unfortunately perhaps her remarks might have been better received by the general public had they not come just days before the second public transport strike, which has seen tailbacks of more than 150kms (just around Paris) during peak hours.

Political commentators didn’t let Lagarde off the hook either as they lampooned her with the image of someone who would most probably advise France’s fisherman resort to sailing boats. They were at the time blockading ports to protest the rise in the cost of fuel.

So perhaps not the most auspicious of starts for Lagarde, especially as she has such a central role in Sarkozy’s “vision” for France, but it’s hard to imagine that her swift rise in politics will come to a premature end.