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French turn inward on question of Frenchness
Source: Agencies |
November 26, 2009, Thursday
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FRANCE'S Great Debate has begun with a grand question: "For you, what does it mean to be French?"
This is neither a pompous academic exercise in France's elite schools nor a TV game show. It is the French government's effort to clarify - with citizen input - the nation's values, increasingly fraught with tensions as customs brought in by immigrants, for instance, rub up against traditional French values.
France's immigration minister, Eric Besson, launched the national soul-searching, dubbed the Great Debate, earlier this month with a Website where citizens can write about what they think it means to be French. Up to 32,000 contributions were posted in the first two weeks, according to the ministry.
The first of hundreds of local debates that are planned over the next two months was scheduled to take place yesterday, this one among officials of Montargis, south of Paris, and business leaders, members of associations as well as teachers and parents of students. Exceptionally, it is being held at the Immigration Ministry.
Talking points for the debates include French history, culture, religion or language.
Ultimately, they are meant to address a handful of proposals such as the meaning of national symbols like the flag and how to share values with immigrant citizens.
"France is a nation of tolerance and respect, but it also asks to be respected," President Nicolas Sarkozy told farmers in southeastern France earlier this month.
France is a nation of immigrants but, until recently, most newcomers hailed from other European countries. Now immigrants from elsewhere, notably Muslims from former French colonies, are part of the mix. With 5 million Muslims, France has western Europe's largest Muslim population.
The initiative is contentious. Rival Socialists equate the national identity debate with a political stunt meant in part to garner votes of the anti-immigration far-right National Front ahead of March regional elections.
Intellectuals and philosophers are divided, as are many citizens, contending it will fan xenophobia and stigmatize nonwhite French.
This is neither a pompous academic exercise in France's elite schools nor a TV game show. It is the French government's effort to clarify - with citizen input - the nation's values, increasingly fraught with tensions as customs brought in by immigrants, for instance, rub up against traditional French values.
France's immigration minister, Eric Besson, launched the national soul-searching, dubbed the Great Debate, earlier this month with a Website where citizens can write about what they think it means to be French. Up to 32,000 contributions were posted in the first two weeks, according to the ministry.
The first of hundreds of local debates that are planned over the next two months was scheduled to take place yesterday, this one among officials of Montargis, south of Paris, and business leaders, members of associations as well as teachers and parents of students. Exceptionally, it is being held at the Immigration Ministry.
Talking points for the debates include French history, culture, religion or language.
Ultimately, they are meant to address a handful of proposals such as the meaning of national symbols like the flag and how to share values with immigrant citizens.
"France is a nation of tolerance and respect, but it also asks to be respected," President Nicolas Sarkozy told farmers in southeastern France earlier this month.
France is a nation of immigrants but, until recently, most newcomers hailed from other European countries. Now immigrants from elsewhere, notably Muslims from former French colonies, are part of the mix. With 5 million Muslims, France has western Europe's largest Muslim population.
The initiative is contentious. Rival Socialists equate the national identity debate with a political stunt meant in part to garner votes of the anti-immigration far-right National Front ahead of March regional elections.
Intellectuals and philosophers are divided, as are many citizens, contending it will fan xenophobia and stigmatize nonwhite French.
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