Paris
To be prime minister of France is “absolute hell,” seven former holders of the office complained to Le Monde this week. In France, the prime minister is appointed by the president, and tends to get all the blame for policy failures and none of the credit for successes. The president gets to speak with kings at state dinners; the prime minister gets to talk to angry striking workers. Edith Cresson said that during her term, the press was “incredibly violent” toward her, “with its slander and its cowardice.” Raymond Barre called the job “a continual harassment,” while Michel Rocard blamed it for his divorce.
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