The French politician compared Putin with General Charles de Gaulle, the former president of France, stating that the Russian president is a natural leader who can step up and take decisive steps when his country needs it.
"France needs a political figure [like Putin] who can tower over everyone else. I hope we can find someone like that during the next election," Goasguen said on Thursday, speaking during a French-Russian bilateral round table talk in Paris.
The French politician also criticized the policy of anti-Russian sanctions, stating that to France they're nothing, but trouble.
"In the interest of France that sanctions should stop as soon as possible," Goasguen said.
French President Francois Hollande is losing much of his support. Le Figaro published a survey on Sunday that revealed only 19 percent of French voters supported the current president. This means if an election was to be held today, Hollande wouldn't even reach the second round.
Earlier this year, news portal Nouvelles de France said Hollande should take lessons from Putin on how to govern his country. Unlike Hollande, Putin established himself as a capable head of state who defends his country's national interests; meanwhile, the current French president is a "walking contradiction" who promises one thing, but does another, the news portal said.
Hollande's former companion labels him as a cynical liar who hates the middle class. Ooh l… http://t.co/pz42kn2oZ6 pic.twitter.com/FcztJfpwAD
— Raja Mitra (@montouche) 4 сентября 2014
One might criticize Putin and his politics, but one thing is certain — he is a real leader and certainly knows how to serve his country's interests, Nouvelles de France concluded.
Francois Hollande won the French presidential election on May 6, 2012, becoming the second socialist leader of the Fifth Republic after Francois Mitterrand.
