Carla Bruni 'saving sex tourism scandal-hit minister'

London, Oct 11 (ANI): A senator in French president Nicolas Sarkozy's centre-right party believes that his wife Carla Bruni is defending the gay minister with a past as a "sex tourist" in Thailand.

Openly gay Frédéric Mitterrand, the nephew of the late President Mitterrand, is presently struggling to save his name amid the storm over his past accounts of paying "boys" for sex, reports The Times.

Mitterrand faced calls for his resignation this week over his autobiographical novel "The Bad Life" which describes paying for "boys" in brothels in Thailand and Indonesia.

He appeared on French television on Thursday, and denied the book was a defence of paedophilia, insisting the men he met in Asia were consenting adults.

The reluctance of Nicolas to sack him will certainly please Carla, believe critics, who say that she had suggested appointing Mitterrand as culture minister.

"She has great power and influence," said Joëlle Garriaud-Maylam, a senator in Sarkozy's centre-right party, referring to the Italian-born singer and former model.

"It's obvious she is defending Mitterrand. But it puts the president in a difficult situation. He is offending many of his supporters," the politician added. (ANI)