FEMALE French politicians have defended the justice minister, Rachida Dati, after claims she had acted irresponsibly by taking only five days' maternity leave.
French mothers are entitled to 16 weeks' paid leave after the birth of a child and women's groups said her decision to rush back after her daughter, Zohra, was born by caesarean section would put pressure on others to do the same.
The move has als
o been unpopular among the French public. A poll in the Journal du Dimanche newspaper showed 56 per cent thought she had returned too early.
But leading opposition politician Ségolène Royal, a former Socialist presidential candidate, said: "Let's leave Rachida Dati alone. This fury against her is indecent and unfair."
Ms Royal was also criticised when, as environment minister in 1992, she invited television cameras to her hospital bed to take pictures of her newborn daughter, Flora.
Valérie Pécresse, the higher education minister, told the Journal du Dimanche how she also returned to work swiftly after her child was born.
"Ten days after giving birth, I presided over several important ceremonies," she said. "It didn't stop me resting afterwards."
But women's groups in France think otherwise, and they described Ms Dati's refusal to take maternity leave as "scandalous".
Maya Sturduts, of the National Collective for the Rights of Women, said: "Employers can now use this to put pressure on women, especially during the current tough economic times when employers may be looking for excuses to cut staff."
Florence Montreynaud, a women's rights activist, said: "I am shocked by Miss Dati's decision to go back to work so quickly. Women need to rest after giving birth.
"Her behaviour is like that of working women in the 1920s, who gave birth on the factory floor."
French newspapers said Ms Dati, 43, a divorcee, had felt forced to rush back to her ministry last Wednesday ahead of an expected major judicial reform from the president, Nicolas Sarkozy, that day.
Laurence Parisot, president of the employers' group, Medef, said: "Preventing women from choosing the solution which suits them is to deny them an essential right. It is not surprising there are so few women on company boards and executives."
Ms Dati has vowed never to reveal the identity of the father, fuelling massive media speculation .
The latest name to be bandied about is that of the president's brother, François Sarkozy, 47, who visited the mother and child at Paris Muette clinic after the birth.
Others suggestions have included President Sarkozy himself, with whom Ms Dati was romantically linked before he met Carla Bruni; Jose-Maria Aznar, the former Spanish prime minister; Henri Proglio, a businessman; Dominique Desseigne, the Barrière hotel and casino chief, and a French television host known as Arthur.
All those named have refused to comment on the rumours, except Mr Aznar, who took the unusual step of issuing a forceful public denial.
Ms Dati's clinical use of language last year when she said she would be very happy if the pregnancy was "consolidated" , also triggered speculation she could have used a sperm bank at a clinic in Copenhagen during a private trip to Denmark.
But the Moroccan-born politician – France's first female Muslim minister – has said she is "unruffled" by speculation about the father and has no wish to be a role model for single mothers.
She said: "I left school at 16, my family was not privileged and I struggled for many years. My life is not a beautiful story."
Last year, her younger brothers Omar and Jamal were both given prison sentences for drug dealing.
After training as a lawyer and working as a magistrate, Ms Dati was plucked from political obscurity by Mr Sarkozy to become his justice minister in 2007.
The daughter of immigrants, she became the face of Mr Sarkozy's drive to add diversity to French politics.
However, she has antagonised many in the legal profession, who say her style is too abrasive, and numerous advisers have quit her inner circle in recent months.
The full article contains 686 words and appears in The Scotsman newspaper.
