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In Bruni, French See Marie Antoinette

First lady gets flak as she and Sarko hit the beach

By Jason Farago,  Newser Staff

Posted Mar 11, 2009 10:25 AM CDT

(Newser) – Like most of Europe, France is slogging through a recession and facing climbing unemployment. But president Nicolas Sarkozy and his wife, Carla Bruni, are in Mexico, staying at a $5,500-a-night beachfront villa. The honeymoon's over, reports the New York Daily News, and Bruni is suffering comparisons to another foreigner who married a French head of state: Marie Antoinette.

After Bruni attended a state dinner in Mexico City decked out in diamonds, one Frenchman lamented that "Sarko and Carla are back to acting like Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette again."

French President Nicolas Sarkozy and Carla Bruni with Mexico's President Felipe Calderon and wife Margarita Zavala at the National Palace in Mexico City Monday March 9 , 2009.
French President Nicolas Sarkozy and Carla Bruni with Mexico's President Felipe Calderon and wife Margarita Zavala at the National Palace in Mexico City Monday March 9 , 2009.   (AP Photo/Dario Lopez-Mills)
French First Lady Carla Bruni-Sarkozy waves during a visit to a milk bank at Instituto Fernandes Figueira in Rio de Janeiro, Monday, Dec. 22, 2008.
French First Lady Carla Bruni-Sarkozy waves during a visit to a milk bank at Instituto Fernandes Figueira in Rio de Janeiro, Monday, Dec. 22, 2008.   (AP Photo/Andre Mourao)
France's President Nicolas Sarkozy speaks as wife Carla Bruni look on at the National Palace in Mexico City, Monday, March 9, 2009. Sarkozy and his wife are on a one-day official visit to Mexico.
France's President Nicolas Sarkozy speaks as wife Carla Bruni look on at the National Palace in Mexico City, Monday, March 9, 2009. Sarkozy and his wife are on a one-day official visit to Mexico.   (AP Photo/Eduardo Verdugo)
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COMMENTS
Showing 2 of 2 comments
myvoice
Mar 11, 2009 12:13 AM CDT
It happens in the US too! Hell its every country!
AllisonMW
Mar 10, 2009 10:51 PM CDT
Well, it's been said that history does repeat itself... Reminds me of that African Prime Minister (forgive me, I forgot the country) that had a lavish birthday or some other party while his people are starving and relying on foreign aid. I'm sure this happens in other small/poor countries also.

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