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That struggle is playing out in the same Paris courtroom in which a French revolutionary tribunal sentenced Marie Antoinette to the guillotine in 1793 (a detail that may not thrill history enthusiast Villepin). At the core of the trial is the Clearstream affair - a scandal named for the Luxembourg financial clearinghouse where 89 French politicians, businesspeople and public figures purportedly held accounts containing illegal kickback money from arms sales. A list of those names - including Sarkozy's - was brought to Villepin's attention in 2004, but was later deemed to be a fraud by a top French spy called...
...trial has already provided drama. "I am here because of the decision of one man and the obsession of one man: Nicolas Sarkozy," Villepin declared, with the type of flair and indignant passion that he used to irk American officials when, as French Foreign Minister, he floridly denounced U.S. plans to invade Iraq. By way of retort, Sarkozy created an uproar on a nationally televised interview by referring to the defendants in the case as "guilty," ignoring the presumption of innocence central to France's legal system. The people responsible for the smear, Sarkozy said earlier, should "hang...
France's class divisions have little to do with a split between the political right and left. The differences and animosities between the old and the new can be found across the spectrum. "Some follow the tradition of élitist French politicians and leaders like Villepin, who honor philosophy, literature and oratorical skill, and regard intellectual performance as the primary political tool," says Rozès. "Others, like Sarkozy, are distrustful of that cliquish, insider atmosphere, and define and construct themselves by action, pragmatism, doing things." (See pictures of Paris expanding...
Good luck with that. Even Sarkozy's opponents concede that his pragmatism and push to modernize France - just as millions of regular French voters have modernized their own lives - are a large part of his appeal. Time-honored formalities, and the type of scheming in smoke-filled back rooms that the Clearstream scandal conjures up, are increasingly irrelevant in a country that now embraces everything from McDonald's to reality TV. (See the top 10 political sex scandals...
...year ban from public office and an irreparable blow to his reputation. Acquittal would allow him to continue his attacks on Sarkozy, and would add credibility to his claim that he is the victim of a presidential persecution campaign. The verdict could prove just as important for French society...