Valerie
Trierweiler's memoir "Thank You for the Moment" is clearly the
enraged cry of a woman scorned. But, this is not simply a matter of a switch in
the bedroom. Trierweiler is no empty headed arm ornament but a political woman
and a commentator of some force. It should not be forgotten that Trierweiler,
with her journalistic contacts, helped the goof Hollande to be elected as
President of France. No woman would call Francois Hollande a seductive figure
or even a political brain, but evidently he had attractions for some women even
before he was elected. One would wonder
why this backroom functionary who became the Socialist Party's candidate for
the Presidency after Dominic Strauss Khan's fall from grace managed to be
elected as President of France. So politically inept that he did not realise
that he could be elected--until after his debate with Sarkhozy, he was
genuinely surprised at the result that took him into the Élysée. And it was a
close run thing. But Valerie, forever behind him holding the umbrella (It
rained a lot during the election and after--so much so that I Christened him 'President
Noah' and her, 'The First Umbrella Carrier') was more than simply the 'First
Girl Friend' to be. She had groomed him, guided him in his media appearances
and helped to influence the press in his favour.
No wonder she's
as mad as hell about the sneaky way he cheated on her. Apart from the joke he
made of himself in his crash helmet riding pillion on a motor scooter to the rendezvous
with his new mistress, the appalling revelations of his remarks concerning poor
people--the 'sans dents' (without teeth) and Valerie's accusations that he
instructed her doctors to keep her drugged so that she would not join the media
furor following revelations of his infidelity in Closer Magazine, help to damn
him in the eyes of the French public. Now she is enjoying her revenge as her
best seller in France is published in English and several other languages; and
as she appears on the Andrew Marr show and interviewed in the Times.
Of course,
Trierweiler, aptly nicknamed the Rottweiler, is reviled, especially by French
males for her revelations, the more so since sales figures released by her French
publishers indicate several million euros accruing to her in royalties. Should
she have remained loyally silent? She was not married to Hollande, so she attracts
disrespect:considered by many (men) to be a 'put,' a prostitute. When Cecilia
Sarkozy and Nicolas divorced soon after his election in 2007, her departure
(for New York with her new journalist husband--exile is the most discreet
solution on these occasions) was beautifully stage managed with divine photo
shoots for Madame Figaro and other right wing media. Her book about her marriage
to Nicolas was published five years after the divorce and failed to reveal much
other than that Nicolas was difficult to live with.
Valerie, on the
other hand was dumped and left to fend for herself. No discreet exile or highly
paid job was arranged for her. No secret pay offs from her official
Presidential lover apparently passed into her accounts. Shall we blame her
therefore for gaining millions from her tell all?
Clearly the man
is so stupid that he cannot even ensure the silence of his former companion. I
must say that I hoped she would write her book and get something in return for
her loyalty.
Do these
revelations serve any useful purpose? Yes, they do. Francois Hollande who in
2012 omitted to tell the French tax authorities about his multi million-property
investments in London should by now have been dismissed by the French Senate.
Unless they take prompt action, he has until 2017 to continue his ruination of
France. Only his recently appointed real-politician Prime Minister, Manuel
Valls, has begun to save the day--in rhetoric if not in actuality.
But rumours of revolution abound in France and it
seems that the reaction to the 'Sans Dents' quote is stirring deep wounds in
the French soul that go back to the Revolution of the late Eighteenth Century.
French commentators liken Hollande to Louis XVI, the incompetent king who with
his controversial wife Marie Antoinette, was guillotined in 1793. There are
many in France who fear the ancient revolutionary spirit has been re-ignited.
Trierweiler is no Marie Antoinette but her revelations may be dangerous to the
President and to the Republic itself. The best that can happen is that the
Centre Right UMP, formerly led by Nicolas Sarkozy will find new leadership.
Otherwise, Marine Le Pen and her Front National could take power in 2017 or at
least dominate membership of the Assembly National. The worst alternative is
that the Republic will be confronted increasingly with violent insurrections as
Hollande and his government flounder in the conflict between socialist ideology
and economic reality. The 'Sans Dents' may yet find a new set of teeth. Thank
you, Valerie.