Two weeks ago the Paris prosecutor’s office gave a green light for an investigation of Strauss-Kahn’s legal and consulting fees. He faces allegations that he accepted $100,000 for work he never did, and that he knew of false documents that were drawn up to justify the payments. He denies any wrongdoing.
His departure showed just how much France’s economy has evolved. Supported by a cyclical upturn and the advent of Europe’s single currency, Strauss-Kahn helped lead the country from centralized stagnation toward a freer market–and a higher growth rate than Britain’s or Germany’s. He was, famously, the Socialist whom businessmen trusted.
