François Hollande versus the French People: President Flops in TV Questioning

THE INDEPENDENT: François Hollande, the most unpopular French president in living memory, demonstrated the perils of wanting to be known as the “normal” leader by subjecting himself to a surreal hour-long television and radio grilling to mark the second anniversary of his election.

He took questions from listeners, including a 61-year- old woman who asked him whether he could live on her €662 (£550) monthly pension. “No,” he replied.

Earlier, the BFM TV interviewer Jean-Jacques Bourdin took a leaf out of Jeremy Paxman’s book to accuse the President of “amateurism” and of conducting a “reckless” private life which had cheapened the presidency. “You talk about [economic] recovery,” said Bourdin, “where is it?”

The Socialist President, who admitted to “regrets”, batted away the criticism and vowed to speed up economic reforms. He said that he should be judged on results “at the end of my mandate” in 2017. » | Anne Penketh | Paris | Tuesday, May 06, 2014