The Arabic language press in the middle east is in a quandry regarding its coverage of French politics, Al Arabiya reported, due to the Arabic meaning of newly sworn in Prime Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault’s last name.

“Transcribed into Arabic from the French pronunciation of his name, ‘Ayrault’ refers to the male sexual organ in several Arabic dialects.”

According to the Arabic language media outlet, “The problem lasted for hours after French President Francois Hollande named the head of the Socialist bloc in parliament as his prime minister, with Arab journalists trying different possible pronunciations of his name.”

Luckily for the Arabic speaking world the French Foreign Ministry came to the rescue, issuing an edict allowing Ayrault’s name to be “transcribed as written” and saving the sensibilities of female newspaper readers and television viewers from Cairo to Mecca.

Just call him Prime Minister peckerhead.