French Finance and Industry Minster, Dominic Strauss Kahn, a
Jew of Tunisian descent who held key positions in the
Socialist Government, has been forced to resign from the
Government. He resigned due to allegations that he was
involved in corruption.
Two investigating judges suspect him of having charged a
French student medical insurance organization 600 thousand
francs for false mediation a number of years ago.
Strauss Kahn denies the charge, and says that he resigned in
order to prove his innocence. He says that he received this
sum as payment for mediation he performed between insurance
agencies when he was a lawyer. But investigating judges --
who in France function like the police -- have presented
strong proofs in the form of forged documents on which his
name appeared as well as testimony by the directors of
insurance agencies.
There has been no reaction to his resignation in business
circles.
Strauss Kahn had maintained close contact with the Jewish
communities. He was very popular in socialist circles, and
the socialists hoped that he would run for mayor of Paris.
His downfall is a blow to religious Jewish schools in France.
Since his appointment as Finance Minister, he has been
responsive to the needs of the Jewish educational system, as
were his socialist colleagues. Strauss Kahn also influenced
Socialist Prime Minister Jospin to force the Education
Ministry to change its hostile policy toward Israel and to
initiate improved economic ties. In recent months he was even
mentioned as a candidate for Prime Minister.
No one mentions Strauss Kahn's Jewish origins in relation to
the affair, but the fact always lurks in the background and
is comes up in private conversations. The papers are full of
condemnations of his as well as his caricature. The Prime
Minister has said that he hopes that Strauss Kahn will return
to the Government soon.
Strauss Kahn enjoys the immunity of a government minister who
cannot be arrested until his guilt is proven. The revelations
are meant to topple the Socialist government which, for its
part, condemns what it calls "the dictatorship of the
judges." The waning Rightist opposition hopes that the affair
will revive its own movement. Leading socialists in Paris
involved in the affair have until now waged a battle against
Mayor Tibri, who was charged with corruption. Now they
themselves are being brought to the courts in police vans.
