Paperjam.lu

The CSV’s Facebook posting in which it questions whether cabinet minister Corinne Cahen has broken ethics rules by “advertising” the shoe store she owns.Photo: CSV Facebook screenshot 

The CSV has questioned whether cabinet minister Corinne Cahen has broken ethics rules by “advertising” the shoe store she owns.

Cahen posted a selfie on Facebook and Twitter of herself with a VW van promoting the CSV’s public forum tour which has as its slogan “Wou dréckt de Schong?” (literally translated as “Where does the shoe pinch?”, but figuratively meaning “What's on your mind?”). On her private Facebook story page, Cahen commented, “Buy your shoes @chausseursleon sarl, then they won’t pinch”.

Chaussures Léon was owned by Cahen’s parents, and she took over running the store after leaving her previous job as a journalist with RTL. During her time in retail she was also the president of the city retailers’ association. Cahen gave up management of the store when she entered government. But the CSV was not amused and reposted Cahen’s storyline selfie with a comment: “It’s the deontology’s shoes that are really feeling the pinch. Does a family minister really have to advertise her shoe shop?”

Cahen responded to the CSV posting by saying, “You don’t even have a sense of humour. What a shame. Wishing you a pleasant holiday.”

CSV president Frank Engel, cited by RTL’s Luxembourg site, said that while Cahen’s post could be viewed as witty, but that in his view she should focus on politics “rather than constantly promoting her function as…what, exactly, owner, heiress to a shoe shop?”

The Pirate Party joined in the fun by asking a series of parliamentary questions to Xavier Bettel in his role as minister in charge of the media about the cabinet minister’s use of social media. They want to know whether cabinet ministers pay the costs of their own social media, if they receive external consultation and whether the Bettel was aware that the names of shoe shops with which ministers have “economic ties” were being touted in their social media postings.