French Culture Minister Frederic Mitterrand's memoir has caused an uproar, four year after its publication, over his references to paying for “young boys.”
Source: Press TV
- Mitterrand, who is the nephew of the late Socialist President Francois Mitterrand, was appointed to the ministry by French President Nikolas Sarkozy this year.
- French politicians demanded on Thursday that the minister at least explain the passages in the 2005 book, "The Bad Life," where he describes paying for sexual relations with "young boys" in Thailand and Indonesia, BBC reported.
- The book did not cause a scandal at the time of its publishing, when Mitterrand was not in office, and even sparked some praise amidst literary critics.
- His recent defense of Director Roman Polanski, arrested earlier this month for having sex with a minor in 1977, brought the book into attention.
- Some of his critics, including members of Sarkozy's right-wing ruling party, are accusing him of endorsing the exploitation of young Asian sex workers, demanding his departure from the ministry.
- The minister has so far turned a deaf ear to the charges, and while having previously confirmed frequenting Asian brothels, has dismissed them as having been inspired by a far-right smear campaign. However, he is due to appear on France's main evening newscast on Thursday night.
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