Bettencourt dispute settled - unfortunately

After years of family infighting Liliane Bettencourt, billionnaire owner of the French L'Oréal company, and her daughter Françoise have effected a surprising reconciliation. The family dispute was the source of several political affairs which even shook the government of French President Nicolas Sarkozy. The left-liberal daily Libération takes an ironic look back at the dispute: "We will miss the Bettencourts. ... Darling little monsters surrounded by a gossiping and greedy court, including an exceedingly well-paid minister's wife, self-interested doctors and lawyers, a very high-class gigolo and judges who fulfilled their every wish. ... But one must be wary of the announced happy end. Of course it's possible that the reconciliation between Liliane and Françoise will last. ... It is also possible that the Elysée [seat of President Sarkozy], which closely followed this affair to the point of disregarding the separation of powers, itself put an end to the story which revealed such close relations between the rich and the powerful."

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