France demands ministers show financial records
French govt reacts to tax scandal by forcing cabinet into full financial disclosure
France's President Francois Hollande pauses during an address to the media with Slovakia's Prime Minister Robert Fico after their meeting at the Elysee Palace, Thursday, April 11, 2013. (AP Photo/Michel Euler)
PARIS (AP) -- The French government is kicking off a full financial disclosure program but critics say listing ministers' personal wealth is just a political show.
By Monday evening, all 38 members of President Francois Hollande's Socialist-led government will have their financial documents uploaded onto a website for all to view. The move is part of Hollande's tough new rules for financial conduct that were unveiled last week after the stunning revelation that France's top tax collector was himself dodging taxes.
Some ministers weren't waiting for the deadline and have already published their holdings. But surveys show that most French would rather the cabinet focus less on its own finances and more on fixing the stalled economy.
