France’s Strauss-Kahn Lands Top I.M.F. Job
By REUTERS
PARIS, Sept 28 (Reuters) - France's Dominique Strauss-Kahn was named the head of the International Monetary Fund on Friday, defying critics of Europe's historical claim to the post and those who had questioned his ability to do the job.
A former Socialist finance minister, many critics wrote off Strauss-Kahn last year after he failed to win his party's nomination for the French presidential election and looked set to finish his career as an economics professor in Paris.
But in an unlikely resurrection he was put forward for the IMF position by his erstwhile enemy, centre-right President Nicolas Sarkozy, and grabbed the chance with both hands.
Even before Russia made it a two-horse race by nominating former Czech central bank governor Josef Tosovsky, Strauss-Kahn toured developing countries to explain how he would give poor and fast-growing states more say in the Washington-based lender.
While Russia said he did not have the technical skills for the job, Strauss-Kahn, 58, relied on the backing of the European Union, including the Czech Republic, and his own powers of persuasion to land the post.
He will need such talents to finish the work which outgoing IMF chief Rodrigo Rato began to strengthen the way the Fund monitors the world economy and revamp its voting structures to better reflect the rise of economic powers like China and India.
The suave architect of France's economic recovery in the late 1990s, known as "DSK", is no stranger to difficult tasks.
Serving in a Socialist government as finance minister between 1997 and 1999 he cut the public deficit to qualify France for the euro and took steps that paved the way for the privatisation of some state-owned firms.
That won him fans in financial markets, if not always within his party. He also helped implement the controversial 35-hour work week in France -- a reform that Sarkozy says has hamstrung the economy, cut productivity and hit wages.
A formidable debater, Strauss-Kahn is equally comfortable talking the language of politics or economics -- in English, French or German -- skills that will be useful for his new international role.
He has also shown political resilience, having rebuilt a career that appeared doomed in 1999 when he was forced to resign from Socialist Prime Minister Lionel Jospin's government after he was caught up in a corruption scandal.
A court later cleared Strauss-Kahn, paving the way for a return to the political limelight which saw him run against Segolene Royal in his opposition Socialist party's primaries for France's 2007 presidential elections.
Strauss-Kahn lost out to Royal but dutifully supported her campaign against Sarkozy, branding the diminutive, centre-right leader a "mini-candidate" and a danger to democracy.
Looking to prove his opponents wrong, Sarkozy reached out to Socialist rivals after his election triumph against the hapless Royal, placing leftists in his cabinet and then pushing Strauss-Kahn for the prestigious IMF job.
Socialists muttered that Sarkozy was simply trying to lure away their star performers and demoralise the leftist camp.
A fan of classical music and art, as well as a keen skier, the elegant Strauss-Kahn has also gained a reputation as a ladies' man. His marriage to high-profile TV interviewer Anne Sinclair has guaranteed him even more tabloid coverage.
Etant Socialiste, c'est plutôt une bonne nouvelle! Mais, va-t-il appliquer ce qu'il estime être bon, ou va-t-il devoir écouter Sarkozy, et sa "super" ouverture?
As a Socialist, I'm satisfied by this news. But, maybe he'll be obliged to hear more Sarkozy than heat his own advice...?
