FrenchTraîner une casserole
Meaning: To be trailed by a past scandal that others keep bringing up.
Literally: To drag a saucepan behind you
Example: “Le candidat traîne une casserole depuis l'affaire des emplois fictifs.” — The candidate has had an albatross around his neck since the fake-jobs scandal.
English equivalent: An albatross around one's neck
Equivalents in other languages
English: albatross around one's neck
Origin: From the old cruelty of tying tin pans to a dog's tail: the animal bolts in a panic and the racket announces it to the entire street. A discreditable episode behaves the same way — it follows the person, it is loud, and other people make certain it is heard at the least convenient moment. The expression is heavily used in French politics, where rattling an opponent's pan at election time is more or less the job. Attested in 1902.
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