Nicolas Sarkozy "laughed uncontrollably" when told Dominique Strauss-Kahn had been caught partaking in an orgy with prostitutes but swore his aides to silence and went on to name him IMF head, a new book claims.
Les Strauss-Kahn, written by Raphaëlle Bacqué and Ariane Chemin, journalists at Le Monde, provides fresh details about Mr Sarkozy’s knowledge of Mr Strauss-Kahn’s sexual practices, his proximity to the Socialist and decision to protect his reputation.
Mr Sarkozy was interior minister late in 2006 – a few months before his election to the presidency – when Alain Gardère, the public security chief of Paris, told him about an incident in the Bois de Boulogne to the west of the capital. A policeman came across several parked cars whose windows were steamed up as their occupants were engaged in an orgy. When he knocked on the door, he spotted Mr Strauss-Kahn. When Mr Sarkozy was informed of the discovery he broke out into an “uncontrollable throaty laugh”, the authors wrote.
When he received Mr Strauss-Kahn before he left to take up his post in Washington, he swore his secretary general, public security chief and police chief to silence. “He will no doubt get the IMF job. Let’s keep this to ourselves, all right?” he is cited as telling them.
Mr Strauss-Kahn went on to become the Socialist Party favourite to challenge Mr Sarkozy at this year’s election.
But even then, Mr Sarkozy is quoted as saying: “You know very well that he CANNOT be a candidate [given his behaviour and reputation as a libertine].”
That forecast came true after Mr Strauss-Kahn resigned as IMF chief after being accused of raping a New York hotel maid. He was subsequently cleared of the charge.
As interior minister, Mr Sarkozy was also informed that Mr Strauss-Kahn took no particular precautions not to be spotted entering two swingers’ clubs in Paris, according to the book. He parked his car in front and walked in, instead of entering from a discreet side street.
“DSK liked flirting with danger, he liked dodgy atmospheres,” said Chemin.
Mr Sarkozy never forgot a debate he had with Mr Strauss-Kahn before presidential elections in 1995, the authors said. Mr Strauss-Kahn spent the whole time staring fixedly at his Right-wing rival’s young blonde press attaché, who was in the studio. The next month, he bombarded her with dozens of text messages whose graphic content were met with howls of laughter.
The book recounts how Mr Strauss-Kahn’s compulsive womanising led him to try his luck with Valérie Trierweiler, President François Hollande’s girlfriend and new First Lady when he was an MP.
“How is the prettiest journalist in Paris?,” he is quoted as asking the attractive Paris Match reporter. “I thought that was Anne Sinclair”, she replied, referring to Mr Strauss-Kahn’s wife.
Please follow International on Twitter and Facebook.