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The Incredible Sulk
Incroyable! Chirac storms out of summit
French President Jacques Chirac interrupted the annual spring summit of the European Union when his fellow citizen Baron Ernest-Antoine Seilliere - head of the European employers' group, Unice - addressed the gathering in English.
Seillière had just started speaking on the need to battle protectionism in European business when Chirac interrupted, demanding to know why the speech was delivered in English.
Mr Sellière replied that English is "the accepted language of business in Europe today".
With childishness that has become sadly typical of Chirac, the French president picked up his papers and led his foreign minister Philippe Douste-Blazy and finance minister Thierry Breton out of the room. Both were reported to appear visibly embarrassed, leaving shocked French officials to assure reporters that all three required a lavatory break at the same time.
Chirac and his entourage returned when Mr Sellière's speech had ended, 45 minutes later.
It's the latest language strop from the President. Chirac speaks English fluently, but harangues journalists who ask questions in English, refused to speak with president George Bush a private dinner except through a translator - and often expects PM Tony Blair to translate questions for him during joint Q&A sessions.
He's also reported to be outraged that his latest brainchild, a French 24 hour international news channel conceived to challenge CNN and the BBC, will be broadcasting the majority of its output in English. When he challenged the embryonic broadcaster's executives on the decision, he was told that if the channel was produced in French, no-one would watch it.
There was more bad news for Chirac at the Brussels summit, which reflected France's troubled standing in the EU. Mr Chirac and German Chancellor Angela Merkel clashed in the most serious Franco German disagreement for years.
Ms Merkel dismissed a French initiative to promote "economic patriotism".
She said at a press conference: "We can only have an internal market when electricity flows freely and we accept European champions and not just think nationally".
Whatever happened to the days when president Mitterand and chancellor Kohl held hands? Never mind Chirac's regular mutual adoration sessions with former chancellor Gerhard Schröder.
France is also in bad odour with neighbouring Italy.
The speaker of the Italian parliament said in Brussels: "Either you are a pretend European, and therefore in favour of protectionism and nationalism, or else you are a real European and want to stimulate competition".
But at the end of the summit it emerged that France had one ally: Luxembourg. A French speaker, too!
