Posted on 04/27/2006 7:14:14 PM PDT by Pikamax
PARIS (Reuters) - French Interior Minister Nicolas Sarkozy on Thursday rejected charges his new immigration bill was a xenophobic drive for far-right votes ahead of 2007 presidential elections, saying it was a bulwark against racism.
The bill aims to attract a new generation of skilled workers who would embrace French values and traditions, thus improving race relations that hit the headlines during last autumn's riots in poor French suburbs, he said.
Sarkozy made his comments in an interview with Le Monde newspaper ahead of a parliamentary debate on Tuesday on his immigration bill, which has been sharply criticised by church leaders, immigrant support groups and the left-wing opposition.
The law would make it tougher for immigrants to bring relatives to France, force newcomers to take French and civics lessons and end their automatic right to a long-term residence permit after 10 years in France.
It would also create a three-year "skills and talents" residence permit designed to attract qualified workers.
Sarkozy said his policies aim to meet public concerns about an influx of foreigners and will allow France to select its immigrants rather than take anyone who comes.
"Selective immigration is practiced by almost all democracies in the world. And in those countries, racism and the extreme right are less strong than here. In short, it is a bulwark against racism," Sarkozy told Le Monde.
"We have to react because of the failure of our integration system, which has resulted in the children of immigrants born in France feeling less French than their parents, who are in fact foreigners," he said.
The riots last October and November involved poor white youths as well as French-born citizens of Arab or African origin complaining of racism and lack of job prospects.
Political analysts say Sarkozy is courting far-right voters after ensuring the government climbed down this month over a youth job contract that sparked sometimes violent mass protests. His presidential prospects could suffer if disillusioned voters switch to far-right parties as a result.
The immigration bill comes as President Jacques Chirac and Prime Minister Dominique de Villepin, both badly mauled by the crisis over the youth contract, have sought this week to show they can still push ahead with reforms despite the setback.
IMMIGRANT'S SON SARKOZY
Critics say the new law will not work, will stigmatise foreigners, discriminate against the poor and undermine France's traditional role as a haven for the persecuted.
Sarkozy's own immigrant father might have failed to qualify for French nationality had his son's rules applied when he fled Communist-controlled Hungary in the late 1940s, they say.
Sarkozy accepted around 100 out of 260 amendments proposed at the committee stage on Wednesday. But opponents rejected moves to soften some measures, like extending to one month the time for immigrants to appeal against expulsion.
"This text is a pretext, it's an electoral manoeuvre," said Socialist lawmaker Bernard Roman. "It is a dangerous, useless and ineffective text."
Sarkozy's political career took off in 2002 in part thanks to a no nonsense style and reputation for getting results.
He prompted charges of xenophobia at the weekend by saying he was tired of having to apologise for being French and that those who did not love France could leave it.
Sarkozy told Le Monde people were free to criticise but had to accept French laws that banned discrimination against women and allowed newspapers to print cartoons even on religious topics, a reference to the row over cartoons depicting the Prophet Mohammad.
I like France and much of French life and culture. I hope they succeed in steming the Islamization of France and Europe.
It's in America's and the West's best interests to do so.
Too little, too late. The euros' birth rates are near zero, and the muzzy immigrants are multiplying like rabbits. Even if they cut off immigration completely, much of Europe will be Islamised within our lifetime.
If France or any other nation really wants effective immigration reform, they need to bite the PC bullet and start limiting immigration to areas like Eastern Europe, India, China, etc.
From what I gather, this latest bill won't stop Moslems from coming to France, and they will have more than enough of them just from the ones currently there having kids.
I just can't wish France well. Part of it is the "misery loves company" phenomenon- it makes me feel better to see other nations having the same immigration struggles we are. Makes me a bad person, I know- but I can't help it.
Nothing like getting whipped by the French to goad one to action, though.
And they are whipping us in a few arenas. Nuclear power to name but one.
xenophobia - - -
This word should be outlawed until the Liberal Communist Bedwetters learn how to use it and not abuse it. Oh, and do the same with "racism". Nobody's using that correctly, either.
National sovereignty is not xenophobia, and Mexicans are of the same race as Anglo-Saxons. They're destroying the English language on their way to destroying America.
The Central American Indian or Aztec part of them IS a different race.
"I like France and much of French life and culture. I hope they succeed in steming the Islamization of France and Europe. "
Yeah. Whatever faults some Frenchmen might have, it's still better to leave France being France and not Islamagallia.
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