Versailles Congress

Monday June 22, 2009

The President of the French Republic addresses a joint session of the two houses of Parliament — a first since 1873.

The Head of State arrived at the Château de Versailles at 3 PM then spent 45 minutes presenting the main points of his reform projects: economic crisis, public deficit, pensions, local authorities, etc. The launch of a national loan was announced as well as a cabinet reshuffle.  Carla Bruni-Sarkozy —with her mother Marisa Borini— accompanied her husband, and was particularly sensitive to other topics covered, such as the wearing of the burqa; author’s rights through the Hadopi law ; equality based on “social criteria” and “not ethnic criteria” ;  living conditions in prisons.