PARIS: French ministers disclosed their personal wealth for the first time yesterday, in a move President Francois Hollande hopes will restore confidence in his scandal-hit Socialist government.
The revelations — which aim to help turn the page on a damaging scandal over tax fraud charges laid against ex-budget minister Jerome Cahuzac — were welcomed with a mix of derision, suspicion and anger.
A total of 37 ministers and Prime Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault published their declarations online on the website http://www.declarations-patrimoine.gouvernement.fr/.
Several ministers were under particularly close scrutiny, including foreign minister Laurent Fabius — a well-known art lover whose father was an antiques dealer and has long been suspected of having significant wealth.
According to the declaration, Fabius is worth a net total of just over ¤6m ($7.8m) — owning a Paris apartment worth ¤2.75m, two country houses, a shareholding in auction firm Piasa and other assets.
Ayrault, meanwhile, is worth around ¤1.6m. He owns two houses and a garage, as well as two cars.
AFP
