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French Deputies Peeved at English-speaking Compatriot

DW staff (jam)June 22, 2004

French deputies walked out in protest when Jean-Claude Trichet, head of the European Central Bank, starting addressing a meeting at the Council of Europe in the Queen's English.

https://p.dw.com/p/5DKq
How dare he!Image: AP

Quel horreur!

That was apparently the emotion French deputies were feeling at a Monday meeting of the Council of Europe's Parliamentary Assembly when Jean-Claude Trichet, French banquier extraordinaire and head of the European Central Bank started his speech in English.

They promptly marched out of the hall in disgust, but only after one yelled out: "Speak French, it's the least you can do!"

Trichet, former governor of the Bank of France and now top man at Europe's powerful central bank, was taken aback by this sudden show of Gallic pique. He immediately switched to his native tongue, pleading for his compatriots not to leave and explaining that the Frankfurt-based bank uses English as its working language.

The chairman of the assembly, the German-speaking Austrian Peter Schieder, told Trichet he could continue his address in either language, or a combination of the two.

To sooth ruffled French feathers, Trichet gave the first half of his talk in English, the second half in French.