Barely appointed head of the Quai d’Orsay, Stéphane Séjourné was mocked on social networks for French mistakes made orally. It traces his “re-education” work started since childhood.
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The head of French diplomacy opens up about his dyslexia. In an exchange with The Parisian published on Saturday January 20, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Stéphane Séjourné, returned to the criticism that had been made to him in recent days concerning French mistakes and pronunciation errors. “At a very young age, I was diagnosed with very severe dyslexia”he recalled daily, evoking significant difficulties which affected him until his twenties.
“Fifteen years ago, I would not have been able to have the discussion I am having now with you.”he assured, before confiding that he had undertaken a long work “rehabilitation” to get rid of his “oral defects”. But for the minister, the concerns can return in “moments of fatigue or stress”. On a daily basis, however, Stéphane Séjourné ensures that “this has no implications” on his work. “Millions of people have this. I want to send a message to them: it may seem insurmountable but, look, anything is possible. Don’t despair!”he launched in the columns of Parisian.
In France, 4 to 5% of students in an age group are dyslexic, according to estimates from the French Dys Federation (FFDys). These disorders are caused by poor neuronal connections between the different parts of the brain that are used to process information. But if dyslexics can also have difficulty calculating or controlling their gestures, this is in no way associated with an intellectual disability.
