Hollande's curious message to EU as 'useless' party boss is sacked and made Europe minister
During the second part of his government reshuffle this week, President François Hollande did not just change his ministerial team and a key member of his private office – he also reshuffled the Socialist Party, forcing its widely-criticised first secretary Harlem Désir to quit. But to general astonishment Désir was immediately offered the post of junior minister for European Affairs. Political opponents and some allies described this as a bleak moment for French relations with Europe, with one senior figure even calling it an “insult”. Meanwhile the manner in which the president abruptly removed the party's leader has caused consternation among some members. Stéphane Alliès and Ludovic Lamant report.
TheThe appointment of Harlem Désir as France's minister for Europe in Wednesday’s reshuffle of junior ministers has provoked consternation and derision in equal measure. Not just because Désir will be President Hollande's third minister for European affairs since he came to power less than two years ago in May 2012. But also because Désir was appointed as a junior minister having effectively just been sacked by the president as first secretary of the ruling Socialist Party (PS), where he was widely perceived to have been a complete failure. “He's useless,” the head of state has been quoted as saying.
