1855: Sarkozy to be questioned over donations from supporters of 1855

 'Sarkozy to be questioned in Bettencourt donations scandal

The allegations relate to the financing of Mr Sarkozy's 2007 election campaign. Former president Nicolas Sarkozy is due to be questioned about claims that France's richest woman illegally helped finance his 2007 electoral campaign.

Mr Sarkozy faces allegations of accepting thousands of euros from L'Oreal heiress Liliane Bettencourt when he ran for office five years ago.'

Read the rest on BBC here

Also Guardian.

Liliane Bettencourt and her husband, Jean-Pierre Meyers, are financial backers of the 'arnaque' internet wine company 1855.

Nicolas Sarkozy's parting gift to the French people: a breathalyser in every car

Nicolas Sarkozy's cadeau de départ

Warning – new requirement when driving in France  

Despite the grim weather the beginning of July fast approaches when from the first of the month all cars and motorbikes in France will be required to carry at least two breathalysers (l'argot: sarkos). There will be a period of grace until 1st November 2012 when motorists caught without the required breathalysers will be liable to a fine of 11€. I have also seen 17€ suggested.

I remain puzzled over the purpose of this measure. As I understand it motorists are required to have at least two unused kits in their cars to be ready for use if they are stopped by the police. But I thought the police carried their own alcohol testing kits. Certainly the only time we have been stopped in France for a breathalyser test was in the middle of the afternoon in the depths of Lozère when the police had their own kit. The fact that the trainee policeman tried to insist that the passenger – me – blow into the bag is neither here nor there! In any case we had been out walking and neither of us had had anything to drink that day.

The measure might make sense if motorists who had been drinking were required to test themselves before setting off. As it stands it looks to be a way of saving money: police budgets can be cut because they won't have to buy so many breathalysers.

Had Nicolas Sarkozy been re-elected he might have pursued this budgetary logic further by insisting that motorists equip themselves in case of being stopped by the CRS (French riot police with a fearsome reputation). Drivers would have been required to carry at least one pair of handcuffs, a canister of CS gas and a night stick or truncheon...  

1855: has Hollande's election spooked the shares?

1855's 5-day share movements@9am 

It may be coincidental but the trade price for shares in 1855 has been lower since François Hollande was elected President of France. Previously trading had been largely between 0.06 and 0.07€ a share. Now it oscillates between 0.05 and 0.06€. Volumes traded are also noticeably down but this may be in part due to the large number of French public holidays in May.

Yesterday the share closed down at 0.05 – down 16.67% on the year ie one centime. They opened up at 0.06 but have since slid back to 0.05 admittedly on thin trading. Already a junk bond will the price drop still lower?   

1855's 5–day share movements@10am  

Has Nicolas Sarkozy's defeat removed some of the high level protection that 1855 appeared to enjoy? There are suggestions that Sarkozy may have received illegal funding for his 2007 presidential campaign from the Bettencourts. Might in return 1855 have been treated leniently, despite its truly appalling trading record, as Jean-Pierre Meyer (the husband of Françoise Bettancourt) is a major shareholder in the company?  

Also it is not clear whether 1855 has now become a full-time member of La FEVAD. The ponzi scheme/scam was admitted as a provisional member of Le FEVAD on 31st January 2011. Certainly 1855 is listed as a member on the FEVAD site with no indication that they are on probation. If 1855 is now a full member I understand that La FEVAD will now become La Fédération des Escroqueries Virtuels et Arnaques Diverses and its code of conduct will be declared an official blague.