PARIS — France's Prime Minister apologized Wednesday for calling the opposition Socialist Leader a coward in parliament a day earlier during an outburst over financial problems at the parent company of Airbus. Prime Minister Dominique de Villepin grew visibly agitated after Socialist Leader François Hollande accused the government of irresponsibility and questioned him about problems at European Aeronautic Defence and Space Co., which has seen its stock tumble after Airbus announced delays in its much-touted A380 superjumbo jet and questions surfaced about top executives selling off shares. “Mr. Hollande, I denounce your facile approach – and I will even say this looking you in the eyes – the cowardice in your attitude,” Mr. de Villepin said Tuesday. “I'll say it again: cowardice.”Enraged Socialist deputies responded by jumping
“If some words personally injured you, I regret them and I take them back,” Mr. de Villepin told the Assembly on Wednesday during a question-and-answer session, with Mr. Hollande looking on. The apology was as uncharacteristic for Mr. de Villepin as the initial outburst. He was often praised for his polish and eloquence before a series of crises this spring battered his reputation. French media made much out of the name-calling, with television and radio stations repeatedly running clips of the incident. Although outbursts are frequent in the National Assembly, the intensity of Tuesday's was rare. Mr. de Villepin called Wednesday for “respect” and “dialogue,” and Socialist deputy Jean-Marc Ayrault acknowledged the apology.
