Well, I think it's just as usual.... what I'm sure of, for years and years, and it goes back to at least 15 years, french banks unions have been complaining about Ceo's raising freely their salaries, boards voting big bonuses for a few directors (none being traders by the way and some banks weren't even involved in any international trading markets) out of any control or corrolation with the bank results...., other complaints adressed to the various gov thoughout the period targeted the type of investments made and how it was managed. In most cases, credit lyonnais, credit foncier de france, credit national, banque worms, le plus recent caisse d'epargne, banques populaires et natixis etc.... the gov (whatever the majority was)through some different networks and treasury under the direct gov's authority was directly involved in most decisions made up to the choice of the top management teams.... who then took these decisions, raising top salaries and big bonuses by 10,20 and in some cases 50%.

At the time..., and NS wasn't that far..... the answer was none of your business.....
SO, it wasn't it seems..... at the time.... so much a matter of "decency"....