'Screw Wisely' French Journalist to Appeal Tweet Sacking
A French journalist who was sacked over a Tweet suggesting former first lady Valerie Trierweiler -- also a journalist -- slept her way into the role has launched an appeal against his dismissal.
Pierre Salviac, a former rugby expert for the radio network RTL, triggered a storm that cost him his job when he took to Twitter three days after Trierweiler's then-partner, Francois Hollande, was elected president in 2012.
"To all my female colleagues, screw wisely, you too could end up as first lady of France," he wrote.
RTL had sacked him by the end of the day and an employment tribunal ruled in February that the radio station was within its rights to do so, as his comments could have brought the broadcaster's reputation into disrepute.
Salviac's lawyer, Basile Ader, said Tuesday that he would be appealing the decision on the basis of the "constitutional principle of freedom of expression."
The lawyer insisted: "Mr. Salviac was within his rights to send out this Tweet, which had the sole objective of attacking, in his unique way, the conflict of interest created by the personal relations between French journalists and politicians."
Hollande ended his relationship with Trierweiler earlier this year following revelations he was having an affair with an actress, Julie Gayet.
The former first lady has since found a new partner, according to unconfirmed reports in the French media. He has been named as Hani Yakan, described as an American businessman of Lebanese origin.
Source: Agence France Presse
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