It is the sort of an excuse worthy of a shame-faced schoolboy، but the 40-year-old Former French trade minister Thomas Thevenoud، who lasted less than a fortnight in office before being sacked for tax irregularities، also failed to pay the rent on his Paris apartment، a newspaper said on Wednesday.
Thevenoud، who was fired last week for “problems of conformity with his taxes”، reportedly failed to pay his rent for three years.
Thevenoud reported a newspaper that he can neglect such matters، but that he have found another apartment in Paris after being kicked out from his residing apartment for over three years.
Le Canard، a French Newspaper، said he had confessed to “an administrative phobia” that put him off such tasks. It added that he has now “resolved his debts and changed landlord”.
According to the paper، Thevenoud’s former landlord “heard about the fiscal problems of his former tenant last week، he called the interior ministry to tell his story.”
Thevenoud’s two-week tenure in government provided yet another embarrassment to the embattled Socialist government of President Francois Hollande، who faces record-low approval ratings.
Despite pressure، Thevenoud has stated he will not resign from parliament، although he has quit the Socialist Party.
One thing is clear; even an ex-minister is not an exception when it comes to paying rent. If you are a white-collared politician، or sitting-behind-a-desk manager، or even a President، make sure you don’t anger the landlords in France – they can، and they will kick you out، one way or the other.