Cahuzac affair: From misdeed to democratic dilemma
On April 2, former French budget minister Jérôme Cahuzac admitted to once having a secret bank account in Switzerland, confirming tax-evasion allegations made by news site Médiapart, and which he spent months denying. The confession destroyed a once-promising political career and dealt a major blow to the Socialist government of President François Hollande, who was left red-faced for picking a tax-dodger to fix France’s struggling finances. But the affair has also rattled French democracy, reinforcing widespread mistrust of leaders and the mainstream media. FRANCE 24’s special report takes a close look at the far-reaching consequences of one startling revelation.
