This April 10, 2014, shows French prime minister Manuel Valls, right, and Economy Minister Arnaud Montebourg during a visit to French defense and electronic company Thales in Gennevilliers, outside Paris, France. French President Francois Hollande is dissolving the government after an open feud in his Cabinet over the country鈥檚 economy. Prime Minister Manuel Valls offered up his Socialist government鈥檚 resignation Monday after accusing his economy minister, Arnaud Montebourg , of crossing a line with open criticism of the government鈥檚 policies. AP
PARIS, France 鈥� French President Francois听Hollande听dissolved the government on Monday after an open feud in his Cabinet over the country鈥檚 stagnant economy.
Prime Minister Manuel听Valls听offered up his Socialist government鈥檚 resignation after accusing the economy minister of crossing a line with his blunt criticism of the government鈥檚 policies.听Hollande听accepted the resignation and ordered听Valls听to form a new government by Tuesday.
France has had effectively no economic growth this year and听Hollande鈥檚听approval ratings are in the teens. The country is under pressure from the European Union to get its finances in order, but Economy Minister Arnaud听Montebourg听has questioned whether the austerity pressed by the EU will kick start French growth.
鈥淎 major change in our economy policy,鈥� was what听Montebourg听had said was needed from the president and prime minister.
With those words,听Montebourg听drew the anger of the Socialist leadership, which said听Montebourg鈥檚听job was to support the government, not criticize it from within.
鈥淗e鈥檚 not there to start a debate but to put France back on the path of growth,鈥� Carlos Da Silva, the Socialist Party spokesman, told Le Figaro newspaper.
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