The fall-out continued from the EU Summit meeting at which Britain vetoed participation in a new EU-wide fiscal treaty.
In Britain a split between the Conservative and Liberal Democrat coalition partners was observable while some French ministers openly criticised the British government's approach.
At the same time doubts were expressed about the effectiveness of the new treaty and Christine Legarde, the managing director of the Internatioal Monetary Fund, warned of the danger of a Great Depression comparable to that of the 1930s.
In France former President Jacques Chirac was found guilty of embezzlement, breach of trust and conflict of interest during his time as Mayor of Paris, and given a two year suspended sentence. Chirac was not present in the court because of severe and irreversible dementia.
The judge said that, during almost 20 years as Mayor, Chirac had shown contempt of the general interests of Parisians.
He was subsequently President of France between 1995 and 2007.