French press review 26 September 2015

There's a look at the challenges facing the new man in the driving seat at troubled German carmaker Volkswagen. To say nothing of the challenges facing Fifa's Joseph Blatter and the Frenchman who hopes to replace him at the head of world football's governing body, Michel Platini.

DR

Matthias Muller is the new man at the wheel at Volkswagen, the German carmaker which recently admitted cheating in US anti-pollution tests.

Le Monde profiles the former director of Volkswagen subsidiary, Porsche. The centrist paper says the challenges facing Muller can be explained with three statistics.

The first is the number one, a reference to the VW group's standing in the world motor market based on sales for the past six months. Toyota beat Volkswagen for global sales over the course of 2014.

The next key statistic for Muller is -1.5 per cent, the rate at which VW sales figures are declining, at a time when the majority of European carmakers report improving figures.

And VW is losing even more heavily in the crucial Chinese market, where the group's sales are down by nearly six per cent so far this year, losing out to cheaper, locally produced vehicles.

Le Monde is also very interested in the struggles of Fifa president, Joseph Blatter.

Swiss prosecutors are investigating Blatter, the head of football's world governing body, on suspicion of criminal mismanagement and misappropriation of funds.

That's bad enough but not too surprising, given what we have learned in the past few months about the levels of cupidity and corruption in the body supposed to guarantee fair play.

The problem is Michel Platini, former French international player, current boss of the European game and among the top contenders to take over from Blatter when he steps down next year.

The Swiss authorities are describing a payment made in 2011 to Platini of 1.8 million euros as "prejudicial" to Fifa. Platini says it was all fairly earned for consultancy work covered by contract.

Even French Prime Minister Manuel Valls has put his shoulder to the wheel, yesterday saying Platini was a great sportsman who had his entire confidence.

All of that may turn out to be well-founded. The crucial question now will be whether even the hint of a suspicion will be enough to end Platini's hopes of taking over and reforming the scandal-ridden world football organisation.

On other front pages . . .

Catholic La Croix gives the front-page honours to Pope Francis, the leader of the Roman Catholic Church, who yesterday told the UN General Assembly that every action that damages the environment also damages humanity, with the world's poorest the first to suffer. Francis asked world leaders to cooperate in the name of peace and for the betterment of man. They gave him a standing ovation.

Right-wing Le Figaro wonders if the north-eastern Spanish region of Catalonia is going to declare itself independent of Spain.

Catalans go to the polls tomorrow to vote in regional elections that have effectively been turned into a referendum on independence.

Opinion polls give the separatists a wide winning margin, chiefly because of their promise to make the region independent inside two years.

Catalonia is Spain's richest region and Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy has added his weight to the anti-independence camp, perhaps worried at the loss of an area which is responsible for nearly one fifth of Spain's gross domestic product and home to Barcelona football club, provider of at least six players to the current national football squad.

Barça, by the way, are against separation, saying the club could not survive either economically or as a sporting operation if its playing horizons were reduced to a Catalan league. Espanyol is the only other Catalan club currently playing in the Spanish first division.

Left-leaning Libération looks at French Economy Minister Emmanuel Macron, adored by some, detested by others.

Libé notes that the man has recently been publicly described as "dynamic," "brilliant," "charming," "competent" and "useful". But also as "insufferable," "stupid," "arrogant" and "selfish".

The praise and blame does not break down simply along party lines, either. Macron's harshest critic in recent days has been Socialist heavyweight Martine Aubry who told a press conference she was sick of him. The hard-left Left Front alliance has made Macron's departure a prerequisite to any talks about rejoing the Socialist government group. Some rebel Socialists see him as the blighting symbol of the ruling party's drift to market liberalism.

Libération's editorial reminds us that Macron is admired by many on the right, is liked by the bosses and is supported by more than 60 per cent of Socialist voters . . . that's better than, for example, Martine Aubry's score.

The left-wing paper explains the Jekyll-and-Hyde trappings of the economy minister by his effectiveness. Libé quotes China's Deng Xioping to the effect that nobody cares if the cat is black or white, provided he catches the mouse. The problem is that mice are becoming increasingly rare as growth figures remain stalled and unemployment continues its downward spiral. And all cats will have to declare their colour before the 2017 election.