French stop all the way to the top for World Cup

PARIS, June 13: Even presidents and finance ministers realise that politics take a back seat to soccer when the French national team takes the field in the World Cup.

That's one reason Finance Minister Thierry Breton and Budget Minister Jean-Francois Cope decided to bring forward the time for presenting the outlines of the national budget today and why President Jacques Chirac has ordered a clear schedule.

Cope told journalists that the time for the budget briefing was changed to 1630 (1430 GMT) from 1700 for two reasons.

''The first is that I know the sooner the news comes out the better and then because I said to myself that there is nothing worse than writing an article during a football game,'' he said.

The budget is the last for this government ahead of presidential elections next year. But its public importance pales next to the fortunes of a national side with winning prospects kicking off its World Cup campaign the same day.

''The French, and I see this in my own family, live to the rhythm of the World Cup,'' French Finance Minister Thierry Breton told Europe 1 radio.

France plays Switzerland today at 1600 GMT.

Reuters

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