As home secretary, she has made political capital out of the chaos at the Passport Agency, the increase immigration figures and police numbers.

BBC: The rise of the virgin politician

Observers say Mr Jospin has made no attempt to make political capital out of the RPR's party funding embarrassments, because investigators believe his Socialist Party also acquired funds illicitly.

BBC: Chirac refuses court summons

But the regulators also have been wary of potentially destabilizing capital flows as the reform procedures that previously made it easier for them to track the flow of capital in and out.

WSJ: Business Asia: The Quietly International Yuan