French lawmakers thwart Hollande's transparency drive

FrenchFrench lawmakers diluted President Francois Hollande's plans to force politicians to declare their wealth and are pushing instead to penalise reporters who publish such information, reports Reuters.

The fact that lawmakers from his own party opposed the bill was an extra blow for Hollande, who is grappling with rock-bottom approval ratings and rumblings of a revolt against his policies from a minority of left-wingers.

Stung by the resignation of a budget minister over a secret Swiss bank account, Hollande's Socialist government drafted a bill in April requiring politicians to declare assets, income and potential conflicts of interest to an independent authority.

The move was aimed at making the French political system one of the most transparent among western countries and restoring voter confidence after the scandal over Jerome Cahuzac's undeclared Swiss account.

Read more of this report from Reuters.