PARIS, June 29 (UPI) -- France's Prime Minister isn't the only de Villepin receiving kudos this week.
On Tuesday, French President Jacques Chirac bestowed the coveted Legion of Honor to former senator Xavier de Villepin -- father of the center-right head of government, Dominique de Villepin.
De Villepin -- the younger one that is -- wasn't able to attend the ceremony, sending his wife and daughter instead.
Meanwhile, Le Figaro newspaper reports Thursday that Chirac is extremely pleased with his new prime minister.
De Villepin replaced Jean-Pierre Raffarin earlier this month, following the defeat of the EU constitution in the polls May 29.
He says slicing of France's 10 percent unemployment rate is a top priority, and vows to deliver results in the first 100 days of office.
