Some greater detail on Jack's recent Anglophony hissy fit (see below).

CHIRAC SULKS AS ENGLISH DROWNS OUT FRENCH

BRUSSELS March 24, 2006 (Telegraph) - ...Baron Ernest-Antoine Seillière de Laborde, head of the main European employers' organisation, Unice, was invited to deliver the opening address of the summit, to heads of government and state from all 25 EU nations. Mr Seillière, a French steel tycoon, began to give his speech in English.

Mr Chirac interrupted and asked why he was speaking in English. "I'm going to speak in English because that is the language of business," replied the former chief of the French employers' group, which has been at odds with Paris.

The president stalked out of the conference room. The French delegation then followed, forcing Philippe Douste-Blazy, the foreign minister, and Thierry Breton, the finance minister, to leave with as much dignity as they could muster.

A spokesman for Unice said [m. Seillière] had spoken in English because he represented 20 million companies for which English was the official business language.

The incident highlighted French sensitivities to the unstoppable rise of English in the EU, which welcomed millions of new citizens from the ex-Communist bloc in 2004 with little or no interest in speaking French but years of English lessons under their belts. ... Mr Chirac speaks English but is sensitive about the decline of French as the working language of the EU - a decline that mirrors the dilution of France's influence.

To make sure no one should overlook an important French pout, the Telegraph elsewhere reports that Jack's spokesman went out of his way to inform the press of the walk-out.

NO APOLOGY AFTER CHIRAC WALK-OUT

March 25, 2005 (Scotsman) - "We fight for our language," [Chirac] said. "It is in our international interest."

Jack has a point. Alas, Jack has no wit, no charm, no reserve. He is all huff, all strut, all à outrance in the defense of France. And France, in the tiresome person of Jack, looks ridiculous.

PFFT (What is this?): Drama queenery 5 | Advancing France 0 | Rayonnement français 0