(PARIS, France)
French President Francois Hollande dissolved
the government on Monday after an open feud in his Cabinet over the
country’s stagnant economy.
Prime Minister Manuel Valls offered up his
Socialist government’s resignation after accusing the economy minister
of crossing a line with his blunt criticism of the government’s
policies. Hollande accepted the resignation and ordered Valls to form a
new government by Tuesday.
France has had effectively no economic growth
this year and Hollande’s approval ratings are in the teens. The country
is under pressure from the European Union to get its finances in order,
but Economy Minister Arnaud Montebourg has questioned whether the
austerity pressed by the EU will kick start French growth.
“A major change in our economy policy,” was what Montebourg had said was needed from the president and prime minister.
With those words, Montebourg drew the anger of
the Socialist leadership, which said Montebourg’s job was to support
the government, not criticize it from within.
“He’s not there to start a debate but to put
France back on the path of growth,” Carlos Da Silva, the Socialist Party
spokesman, told Le Figaro newspaper.
(Associated Press)
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