French press review 7 June 2011

Mercifully, there's not too much Dominique Strauss-Kahn on this morning's front pages . . . the editors seem to have got that out of their systems yesterday. But Libération and Le Figaro continue to give pride of place to the saga of sex, power and systems of justice.

DSK appeared very briefly in a New York courtroom yesterday, heard the charges against him, and pleaded not guilty.

He is now launched on a long judicial journey, with all the dangers that go with the adversarial justice system.

Right-wing Le Figaro announces with relish that the battle will be merciless, with the possibility of a jail sentence of 74 years and three months precisely if DSK is finally found guilty of all the charges against him.

I can't resist repeating the observations of writer, Nathalie Kuperman, from yesterday's Libération: "Millions of people are dying of hunger but, whether we like it or not," she says, "we are plunged into the underpants of those who govern us."

It's a sad reflection on democracy, the press and, ultimately, on underwear.

Le Monde goes on about the debate on taxing the French rich, a topic which has divided the presidential majority, caught between the need to get themselves reelected next year, and a greedy desire to maintain the tax-free status of their works of art.

The centrist paper quotes a majority UMP politician as saying that increasing the tax bite on the very rich is crucial, since "we urgently need to send out signals of social justice".

They have been in power for four years, and they wait until their cushy parliamentary positions are in question before "signals of social justice" rear their ugly heads.

It's a pity that the French rich don't live in North Korea.

According to an exclusive opinion poll, published by the North Korean television service, only China is a happier place.

Completing the top five are Cuba, Venezuela and Iran. Neighbouring South Korea is down in a lowly 153rd place, still ahead of "the American empire", which is the least happy place on the planet, registering just three points, compared to China's poll-topping 100.

Clearly, dictatorial regimes, widespread famine, Hugo Chavez and Ahmed Ahmedinejad are no barrier to personal fulfillment.

Kim Jong-Il wants his delirious subjects to make an extra effort this year.

With just two points separating them in the happiness stakes from the radiant Chinese, a little push could see North Korea take top spot next year. Watch out for flying pigs!

Catholic La Croix looks to Syria, suggesting that efforts by the authorities to suppress the popular revolution are having anything but the desired effect.

The more the hated security services attempt to reverse the tide of rebellion . . . they've arrested an estimated 10,000 people since protests began . . . the more they provoke moderates to side with those calling for the overthrow of president Bashar al-Assad.

La Croix analyses how the Assad regime has manipulated religious minorities, particularly the Christians, suggesting that the rebellion is part of a Sunni-Muslim or Salafist movement which will end in a bloodbath for all non-Sunnis.

The Catholic daily says that sort of rhetoric is no longer working, and that more and more minorities are aligning themselves with the rebel cause.