French foreign minister quits over Mideast gaffes

France’s Foreign Minister Michèle Alliot-Marie resigned on the 27 February 2011 after a series of gaffes during the Middle East revolutions of early 2011 which President Nicolas Sarkozy has decided made her a political liability.

Alain Juppe became the new Foreign Minister Michele Alliot-Marie, and the defense portfolio went to Gerard Longuet.

ESO: Background information: French foreign minister faces calls to resign http://www.europeansources.info/record/french-foreign-minister-faces-calls-to-resign/

France24, 28.2.11: New foreign minister named in latest Cabinet reshuffle http://www.france24.com/en/20110227-france-sarkozy-cabinet-reshuffle-alain-juppe-foreign-minister-michele-alliot-marie

BBC News, 27.2.11: French Foreign Minister Alliot-Marie quits over Tunisia http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-12591452

Deutsche Welle, 27.2.11: French foreign minister quits after Tunisia gaffes http://www.dw-world.de/dw/article/0,,14877716,00.html

Libération, 28.2.11: Sacked ministers victims of Arab revolution (via PressEurop) http://www.presseurop.eu/en/content/news-brief-cover/518901-sacked-ministers-victims-arab-revolution

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