YNOT EUROPE – Current member of the European parliament and former French justice minister Rachida Dati has been forced to issue a public apology after making a particularly egregious verbal error during an interview broadcast Sunday on Europe 1 radio.

“I see some [investment firms] looking for returns of 20 or 25 percent at a time when fellatio is almost nonexistent,” she told the interviewer in response to a question about foreign investment funds reporting massive gains during a global recession.

Listeners had either a good laugh or a horrified gasp at the gaffe and most likely wondered whether Dati’s thoughts weren’t somewhere else entirely. The English word “fellatio” and the French word “fellation” mean the same thing: oral sex performed on a man. The latter does sound a bit like “inflation” — which is the same in both French and English and presumably is the word Dati meant to say.

Not unlike American politician and former vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin, Dati is attractive and reportedly often displays a poor understanding of complex issues, coupled with amusing vocabulary faux pas. Combined, the traits earned her the nickname “Rachida Barbie.”

Evidently grossly embarrassed by the most recent slip of her tongue, Dati took to Facebook to explain herself.

“This kind of thing happens if you speak too quickly on this kind of programme,” she wrote. “It is unfortunate that this is the only political message that has been received on such a serious subject.”

Dati, 45, rose to political prominence in France during Nicolas Sarkozy’s 2007 presidential campaign, when she served as his spokeswoman. After winning the election, Sarkozy appointed her to his cabinet. He fired her in 2009, citing her “frivolous nature” and an inability to perform her job.

For a time, the single mother of one was more famous for frequent appearances on magazine and tabloid covers wearing designer clothing than for her political role. During and immediately after Sarkozy’s election campaign, Dati’s rivalry with Sarkozy’s then-fiancée, Carla Bruni, also attracted headlines and generated speculation Sarkozy might be the father of Dati’s child.

Photo: Simon Kirby