» Positive reactions to new French minister for culture
PARIS. The appointment this summer of Frédéric Mitterrand—TV showman, film producer, writer, gay activist and nephew of the last socialist president, François Mitterrand—as the new minister for culture has been greeted with enthusiasm by French cultural groups. The move by President Nicolas Sarkozy—who intially offered the post to Jack Lang, the emblematic culture minister of François Mitterrand—suggests he is keen to have high profile members in his cabinet and improve his image…“The choice of Frédéric Mitterrand, who has an artistic background [he was the former director of the Villa Médicis French cultural academy in Rome] shows that President Sarkozy wants somebody with legitimacy,” art dealer Kamel Mennour said. “He’s a man with a vision, and people are waiting to see his first interventions.
