Hollande vows to carry out new minister's law

FRENCH President Francois Hollande  is vowing to carry out a new law on the "publication and control" of ministers' wealth and will be presented within some weeks, after his ex-budget minister was charged in a tax evasion probe.

Hollande said on Wednesday the former minister, Jerome Cahuzac, "did not benefit from any protection" from top officials and that his actions were an "insult to the Republic".

Hollande promised "a ruthless fight against conflicts between public and private interests and to ensure the publication and control of the wealth of ministers and parliamentarians".

He said the government would submit a law to parliament on these measures "in  some weeks to come".
The president also said any elected officials who is cut in tax fraud or corruption will be banned from holding public office and that new measures would be taken as fast as this summer to reinforce the independence of the judiciary.

Cahuzac - the minister once responsible for cracking down on tax evasion - was charged on Tuesday with "laundering the proceeds of tax fraud" after he was admitted to have an  foreign bank account containing some 600,000 euros ($A740,000) following weeks of denials.

Hollande said he knew nothing of the account.

"He deceived the highest authorities in the country: the head of state, the head of the government, parliament, and through them all the French people," Hollande admit.

"This was a mistake, an unpardonable mistake. It was an insult to the Republic.
"Every light will be shed on this and the justice system will pursue its work to the end and in all independence."

"Jerome Cahuzac did not benefit from any protection other than the presumption of innocence and he left the government at my request from the opening of a judicial inquiry."