Caroline Santamilde (36), extravel
agent from Paris, now
full-time mother and housewife
“Surely a person’s qualifications
and capability are more important
than their sex? Here the media
make my blood boil. They are far
more concerned with the domestic
arrangements of the women
ministers than the job they are
doing. ‘Do you sleep with your
husband, do you give him a take away meal when you are
late home?’ – who cares! I don’t! Would they have asked the
same question of Chirac or de Gaulle? It is about time that
the press bosses brought their reporters to task, or sacked
them for stupidity, wasting minister’s time and taxpayer’s
money.”
Daniel Santamilde (41), Plant
Manager, Chorges
“Even now, the number of
women in our parliament is less
than 10% of the total. France has
lagged behind most other nations
in bringing women into
government. India, Pakistan, USA
and many of the countries in
Europe, all have had inspirational
women leaders. Just look at those
who are the heads of top business here in France, the
Presidents of both the Union Patronale and MEDEF are
women.
Our law makers and their advisors should wake up
to that fact. For example Christine Lagarde, our new
minister of Finance, had to go to the USA to get ahead, and
even today, the CAC40 has only two female out of 40
members.”
Cecile, 40, teacher, Ribérac (24)
“I hate Sarkozy. He’s using
women. We call him the Cannibal
President. He’s looked out a North
African woman, a young black
woman and others who can be
symbols of his apparently wide
concerns. He said he would put
women in the government, and he’s
making a lot of play of keeping his
word.
Among the women he’s picked, the minister of Justice is
strong, but she is still the spokesperson of Sarkozy. She’s
also a potent symbol for him of how one can get ahead in
this society. This is very American, and Sarkozy is very
admiring of America.
Jean-Jaques Martinez, Saint-
Jean-de-Luz (64), artist
“I think women are less of a
danger than men in powerful
positions, as they tend to be less
aggressive.
Generally, if you give women
a mission, they will carry it out
and want to do things for the
good of society. Men tend to
want glory and to be remembered in history, women tend to
be more honest and sincere.”
Michèle Causse: 70, writer, Lot.
“The ladies in Sarkozy’s
government form a melting pot of
highly conservative right-wing
women (Christine Boutin), women
of the past government (Roselyne
Bachelot, Alliot-Marie, Christine
Lagarde, whose motto is ‘work
makes money’ (sic)) and the ‘new
venues’, of which Fadela Amara’s
arrival in government is the real mystery, because she is
working with the most religious, Christine Boutin. Sarkozy
has the art of fusing and confusing, and women, as much as
the arrival of Socialists, are part of the show. And the show
is going on. Cecilia is undoubtly the star of the cast. Her
role is not definite because she seems to act according to
her moods. Apparently, she is the only person who can
antagonise the President of ‘all’ French People. But how far
can she go ? We shall see.”
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