The release of French Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire's new novel, which includes a widely circulated pornographic scene, prompted the government to explain how a member of it could find time to write at the height of the country's economic turmoil.

Edited by |Paul Mitchel

World Section

2 May 2023

The novel Fugue Americaine, written by the French Minister of Finance and Economy (54 years), is the 13th book published by the politician who holds this position since President Emmanuel Macron assumed the presidency in 2017.
Le Maire was at the forefront of defenders of Macron's controversial project to raise the retirement age, which caused huge demonstrations for months in France, some of which were marred by violence.

The finance minister is also under pressure to help the French cope with the rising cost of living due to soaring fuel prices and the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

But the novel dives into a completely different world. It is dedicated to the legendary pianist Vladimir Horowitz through the story of two brothers, Franz, and Oskar Wertheimer, who travel to Cuba to attend one of his concerts, and then their lives are turned upside down.
The novel was widely shared on social media, where it became a source of ridicule that gained all the attention. It describes a sexual relationship that Oscar had with a woman named Julia.

The left-wing France Proud MP, Francois Ruffin, said the minister should "not have a minute, an hour or a week of his time to dedicate to writing a book" at a time when the French face "great concerns about inflation".

In an unfavorable coincidence, the novel was published Thursday, hours before rating agency Fitch downgraded the country's debt mark.

This comes amid escalating controversy also about Macron's government after French Minister of Social Economy Marlene Chiba appeared on the cover of "Playboy" magazine in its April issue but in full clothes.

French Prime Minister Elizabeth Born expressed her dissatisfaction with the minister's appearance on the cover of the magazine, and called her to inform her that this matter was "totally inappropriate, especially in the current period."

Le Maire's colleague, Labor Minister Olivier Dussopt, said he had not read the new novel but defended the minister's right to author it.

For his part, Le Maire, who has written five of his 13 books in the last four years, said he had no problem combining his political and literary roles.

"If there were only politics - without the freedom that literary and romantic creativity gives - politics would not be enough," he said last week in an interview with Agence France-Presse.

Lemaire is the first prominent French politician with broad literary ambitions.

In a statement on Twitter, Le Maire said that many of his followers were curious to know "how I find time to write when I hold the position of minister."

He added that while he devotes all his time to his position, he has also learned to care about "my personal balance."

"Some people go to museums, cinemas, concerts, and football matches. Others do gardening or take long walks. As for me, I write," he explained.

"It's the need that makes getting up early, going to bed late, and devoting your weekends and vacations to it all worth it," he concluded.

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