2007年VOA标准英语-French President Sarkozy Names 'Government For

By Anita Elash
Paris
18 May 2007

Newly elected French President Nicolas Sarkozy has named his new government. It's a much smaller cabinet than before, and half the jobs went to women. Anita Elash reports for VOA from Paris.

Ever since his election as president nearly two weeks ago, Nicolas Sarkozy, a conservative, has promised to set up a government for all of France.

Friday, he and his new Prime Minister, Francois Fillon, announced a cabinet that seems to fulfill¹ that promise. There are only 15 ministers - half the number in the previous government, and half those jobs went to women.

One of the most prominent roles went to a member of the Socialist² Party. Bernard Kouchner, who is best-known for starting the humanitarian³ organization, Doctors Without Borders, or Medecins Sans Frontieres, is the new minister of foreign affairs. Like Mr. Sarkozy, he has taken a pro-American stance and was one of the few French politicians who did not oppose the war in Iraq.

The cabinet also includes the first ethnic⁴ minority figure in a senior government post, with Rachida Dati, a lawyer of North African origin, named as justice minister. Mr. Sarkozy is often seen as anti-immigrant. Political journalist Claude Askolovitch said on French public television that the appointment was an important symbol.

The new Justice Minister Rachida Dati answers questions from journalists, 18 May 2007

"This is something no other government would do, but Mr. Sarkozy has done it," he said. "It's a very important job, and it sends a strong signal."

The government was to get right down to work. Its first meeting was scheduled for Friday afternoon.

1 fulfill   

vt.履行，实现，完成；满足，使满意

参考例句：

• If you make a promise you should fulfill it.如果你许诺了，你就要履行你的诺言。
• This company should be able to fulfill our requirements.这家公司应该能够满足我们的要求。

2 socialist   

n.社会主义者；adj.社会主义的

参考例句：

• China is a socialist country,and a developing country as well.中国是一个社会主义国家，也是一个发展中国家。
• His father was an ardent socialist.他父亲是一个热情的社会主义者。

3 humanitarian   

n.人道主义者，博爱者，基督凡人论者

参考例句：

• She has many humanitarian interests and contributes a lot to them.她拥有很多慈善事业，并作了很大的贡献。
• The British government has now suspended humanitarian aid to the area.英国政府现已暂停对这一地区的人道主义援助。

4 ethnic   

adj.人种的，种族的，异教徒的

参考例句：

• This music would sound more ethnic if you played it in steel drums.如果你用钢鼓演奏，这首乐曲将更具民族特色。
• The plan is likely only to aggravate ethnic frictions.这一方案很有可能只会加剧种族冲突。