Sarko's $400K Shower Steams French

At odds with Germany over ECB, deflation, budget enforcement

(NEWSER) - French President Nicolas Sarkozy yesterday called for changing the eurozone treaty to make a tighter, stronger union, and demanded more budget discipline, increased help for foundering economies, and replacing countries' veto rights with qualified majorities, reports Reuters . He also called for the European Central Bank to be more interventionist and fight possible deflation. "Let us not hide it, Europe may be swept away by the crisis if it doesn't get a grip, if it doesn't change," he warned. "We don't have the right to let such a disaster happen." More»

But it's 'essential that no one felt stigmatized,' says French prez

(NEWSER) - Nicolas Sarkozy restated his support for a ban on the wearing of burkas in his country in a New Year's address today—while stressing that any decision should await the results of a parliamentary inquiry on the subject, which are expected later this month. While Sarkozy’s own party is advocating swift movement on a total ban, the Guardian reports the inquiry is likely to recommend a partial ban that applies to state buildings like post offices. More»

(NEWSER) - Europeans may have longer lives and longer vacations, but red-blooded Americans don't want their socialist ways on this side of the ocean, right wing media mouths are eager to remind everyone, MIchael Freedman writes in Newsweek. Underlying much of the opposition to health care reform is the fear that it's part of an anti-American conspiracy to transform the US into a "European social welfare state," according to Rush Limbaugh. More»

(NEWSER) - Someone sounds a little jealous the international media has found a new darling. Nicolas Sarkozy sniped today at President Obama for being inexperienced and indecisive, the Times of London reports. While praising Obama's "clever" mind, the French president complained to party members that "he was elected two months ago and had never run a ministry. There are a certain number of things on which he has no position. And he is not always up to standard on decision-making and efficiency.” More»

(NEWSER) - The tone of a letter from President Obama to Jacques Chirac has some in the blogosphere wondering if Obama knows that Chirac is no longer the president of France, writes Jimmy Orr in the Christian Science Monitor reports. “Doesn’t Obama ever consult his staff before acting?” one concerned blogger wrote. Tempting hypothesis, but no: Obama’s letter is simply a response to one from Chirac on behalf of his foundation. More»