French mayor's plans for Carla statue ruffles feathers

Feb 12, 2012, 17:09 GMT

Paris - Plans by a French mayor to erect a statue depicting First Lady Carla Bruni-Sarkozy as a factory worker have ruffled feathers in the town of Nogent-sur-Marne, Le Parisien newspaper reported Sunday.

Mayor Jacques Martin, a member of President Nicolas Sarkozy's ruling party, said the statue of the Italian-born former supermodel would represent a 'little piece of Italy' in the small town east of Paris.

Nogent-sur-Marne has a sizeable Italian community, from the days when Italian women came to work in the town's now defunct feather factory.

The report said the bronze statue, which would be more than 2 metres tall, would depict Bruni-Sarkozy, the daughter of a wealthy Italian industrialist, as a 'plumassiere' (feather worker).

William Geib, a parliamentarian from the opposition Socialist Party, slammed the statue as an affront to the women who worked in the factory.

'Carla Bruni must have seen more feathers on ostriches and in fashion shows than in factories!' Le Parisien quoted him as saying.

Michel Gilles, a right-wing councillor also expressed outrage.

Gilles, told the paper that the town was being asked to stump up 40,000 euros (52,750 dollars) towards the statue, representing half of the cost.

A property developer has agreed to pay the other half.

The developer told Le Parisien that Bruni-Sarkozy had agreed immediately to the project and had already taken part in a photo shoot with the sculptor.

Bruni-Sarkozy, however, may no longer be first lady by the time the statue is unveiled in May.

Opinion polls show Sarkozy trailing Socialist candidate Francois Hollande in presidential elections to be held between April 22 and May 6.