Latest update: 24/10/2012 

- Barack Obama - France - French politics - Mitt Romney - US elections 2012


French PM breaks protocol with Obama endorsement

French PM breaks protocol with Obama endorsement
© AFP

French Prime Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault (photo) said on Wednesday that he “wouldn’t hesitate” to vote for US incumbent Barack Obama over Republican candidate Mitt Romney, breaking diplomatic protocol.

By News Wires (text)
 

French Prime Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault has broken with diplomatic protocol by openly expressing his hope that Barack Obama wins the upcoming US presidential election.

"If I was an American citizen I wouldn't hesitate to vote for Obama," he told a radio interviewer on Wednesday.

While it is hardly surprising that Ayrault, a Socialist, would support the Democrat candidate in a US election, prudence normally restricts politicians from making such remarks given the possibility they will end up having to deal with their Republican rivals.

Ayrault is not however the first French minister to offer public support for Obama in his neck-and-neck battle with Republican Mitt Romney.

On Tuesday, Bernard Cazeneuve, the European affairs minister, said: "As far as I'm concerned, I totally support it (Obama's re-election) and I would be astonished if the government had any other wish."

President François Hollande was less explicit when he was asked who he would support during a visit to New York at the end of last month, restricting himself to a rhetorical: "Who would you think?"

(AFP)

Date created : 24/10/2012 
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I regret extremely the

by snowyb - 31/10/2012 - 16:48

I regret extremely the collective narcissism and rudeness that has eclipsed civilization in the most beautiful and cultured country bar none; we can only pray that La Belle France will rise again, and expel the nonsensical and incompetent political structure, which caters to multinationals and mobs with equal dexterity while achieving nothing to help the average person!

France has become so

by snowyb - 31/10/2012 - 16:44

France has become so narcissistic and rude; I visited in June and will never go back. I used to love it and had the greatest respect for its culture, in spite of a checkered history, but it is now n arena for multinational corporations like all large economies; I can only pray it regains its unique perspective and traditions of devotion to freedom and equanimity.

How arrogant! It's offensive

by dab0366 - 29/10/2012 - 16:39

How arrogant! It's offensive to me, an American voter, that an elected official of another country would feel the need to voice his opinion on who is elected POTUS. I submit to you that IF an elected American official were to voice his preference for a candidate running for the French presidency, the French people would not stay quiet.

On failing socialist

by Citizenright - 29/10/2012 - 07:31

On failing socialist endorsing another.

I wonder how all of the

by schleprock - 29/10/2012 - 01:44

I wonder how all of the Europeans who so badly want Obama would feel if their leaders increased their portion of debt from just over $30,000 to $50,000 per person in only four years. It's easy to support someone when you don't have to pay for the consequences of that decision.

This is why the French are

by Francesosilly - 29/10/2012 - 00:31

This is why the French are idiots. They can't even manage their own country and they tell others how to live. They have no credibility much less sense. He has had 4 years to make a difference and has turned out to be completely unprepared for the job of POTUS. His reelection campaign has been a joke. He thru away the advantage of being incumbent to attack the personal character of his opponent because he had no record to run on other than one failure after another. He even has the advantage of a adoring and bias media and still has no lead. Absolutely the worse president in us history. He should take his Chicago style politics back to Chicago.

It only reminds us of Will

by jabajax - 28/10/2012 - 22:24

It only reminds us of Will Smith's comment: "75%? OMG! 75%? Well, God bless America..!" Tying Obama to a 75% tax rate is not the smartest thing you have ever done. BTW, I graduated high school near Nancy; little Paris, we called it. Obama supporters cry: 4 more years. Romney supporters cry: 10 more days... And tomorrow their cry will be: 9 more days..

President Romney will

by etienne23 - 28/10/2012 - 16:00

President Romney will remember this

I would Hope President Romney

by etienne23 - 28/10/2012 - 15:59

I would Hope President Romney remembers these endorsements.

I would hope President Romney

by etienne23 - 28/10/2012 - 15:58

I would hope President Romney remembers these endorsements.

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