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# An Exercise in Futile Public Relations - Mere Orthodoxy | Christianity, Politics, and Culture
- URL: https://mereorthodoxy.com/an-exercise-in-futile-public-relations/
- Published: 2006-03-24T06:00:00.000Z
- Updated: 2026-04-26T17:02:17.000Z
- Description: Jacques Chirac’s crusade against English has led him to storm out (with aides right behind!) of a European Union meeting. When M Seillière, who is an English-educated steel baron, started a presentation to all 25 EU leaders, President Chirac interrupted […]
- Author: Mere Orthodoxy
- Tags: Matthew Lee Anderson

Jacques Chirac’s crusade against English [has led him to storm out](http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,13509-2101032,00.html?ref=mereorthodoxy.com) (with aides right behind!) of a European Union meeting.

> When M Seillière, who is an English-educated steel baron, started a presentation to all 25 EU leaders, President Chirac interrupted to ask why he was speaking in English. M Seillière explained: “I’m going to speak in English because that is the language of business.”

> Without saying another word, President Chirac, who lived in the US as a student and speaks fluent English, walked out, followed by his Foreign, Finance and Europe ministers, leaving the 24 other European leaders stunned. They returned only after M Seilière had finished speaking.

The hilarious part is the attempt by French diplomats to explain the childishness away:

> Embarrassed French diplomats tried to explain away the walk-out, saying that their ministers all needed a toilet break at the same time.

A potty break? That was the best they could come up with? Hilarious. (HT: [the Instapundit](http://www.instapundit.com/?ref=mereorthodoxy.com))