So what does it mean to be French today? President Nicolas Sarkozy has tapped another French staple the love of debate to launch a three-month, national conversation on the subject.
VOA: standard.2009.12.30
But just two months after Ixquick's launch, AOL sparked a national debateon online privacy issues.
Professional maverick Alan Clark tried to cool tempers, by insisting it was high time the debate became less personalised - and then went on to launcha scathing attack on Michael Heseltine.
Next month, or so it is suggested, the administration may launcha programme for spending some of its dollars on Arab public institutions and public debate.