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Yahoo
07-06-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Stymied French politicians turn to the sins of the past
On Thursday, two years after France's controversial retirement age increase, the National Assembly voted to withdraw the reform. While the news was politically explosive because the far-right National Rally helped the left-wing opposition gain a majority in the vote, the decision hasn't yielded any actual legal results. The situation reflects the country's ongoing failure to address structural reforms since the parliamentary elections last summer, which left the government won without an absolute majority. But in the area of remembrance policy there has been significant movement. In the same week as the toothless retirement resolution, parliamentarians adopted three texts that reclassify historical events or offer the prospect of reparations. On June 2, the French parliament voted unanimously to posthumously appoint Alfred Dreyfus to the rank of brigadier general. The Jewish officer was wrongly accused of high treason in 1894, based on falsified evidence that he revealed military secrets to the German embassy in Paris. Dreyfus subsequently spent four years in the notorious Devil's Island penal colony off the coast of French Guiana. The Franco-German dimension of the case had explosive foreign policy implications even then. The suspect's Jewish origins and his family background in the Alsace-Lorraine region, which came under German rule after the Franco-Prussian War, and strained relations with Germany, made him an ideal target for the nationalist mistrust many French people harbored at the time. Writer Émile Zola famously sided with Dreyfus in his essay "J'accuse…!", which played a critical role in the officer's exoneration and military rehabilitation in 1906. Nevertheless, after serving in the First World War as a lieutenant colonel, Dreyfus was only reinstated at a lower rank. This posthumous promotion for Dreyfus still has to pass the Senate. Alsatian MP Charles Sitzenstuhl, a member of French President Emmanuel Macron's center-right Renaissance Party, who introduced the initiative, offered a link to the present as a warning: "The anti-Semitism that plagued Alfred Dreyfus is not a thing of the distant past," he said. Just one day after the Dreyfus vote, the National Assembly also passed a law to recognize and compensate former returnees from French Indochina after the colonial rule of territories including Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia ended in 1954. Around 44,000 people were repatriated to France, among them colonial officials, soldiers and their families, the descendants of French colonizers and local women, as well as local collaborators. Between 4,000 to 6,000 returnees ended up in temporary camps, which were often outfitted with wooden barracks that lacked heating and plumbing. Returnees were also subject to degrading policies that included bans on going out and owning cars or other luxury goods. The new law introduced by the left-wing Socialist Party now provides for financial support based on someone's length of stay in the camps. It is estimated that up to 1,600 people could claim compensation. On June 5, the Assembly adopted a resolution addressing a "double debt" to Haiti that goes back to 1825. That was the year that France forced Haiti, which had declared independence in 1804, to pay compensation of 150 million gold francs. This was intended as a recognition of independence that would also compensate for the loss of French colonial possessions, including income from slaves. Haiti was forced to settle this "independence debt" over decades — a considerable economic burden that contributed to long-term poverty and instability on the island. The resolution, initiated by the Communist Party, calls for recognition, repayment and reparations for Haiti. But the text does not include concrete political steps or financial agreements. Nevertheless, the far-right National Rally voted against it. Remembrance politics have some tradition in France. In 2001, the "Taubira" law, named after the parliamentarian who introduced it, recognized the slave trade and practice of slavery as crimes against humanity. The topic has been a part of school curricula in France ever since. In October 2006, the National Assembly passed a bill to criminalize the denial of the Armenian genocide of 1915 in the Ottoman Empire with a year in prison or fine of €45,000 ($51,300). The bill never came into force after it failed to pass in the Senate, and was followed by a similarly doomed initiative introduced under President Nicolas Sarkozy. That draft law passed both chambers of parliament, but was declared unconstitutional by the Constitutional Council in February 2012, which said that it amounted to unlawful interference with freedom of expression and research. Another example is the treatment of the so-called "Senegalese riflemen," the colonial soldiers from Africa who fought for France in the two world wars. For decades, many received significantly lower pensions than their French comrades, especially if they lived outside of France after decolonization. It was not until 2009 that President Sarkozy decreed an equalization of pension benefits, a step that held great symbolic significance. The latest spike in such initiatives has been met with mixed interpretations by political scientists. Some experts see the willingness to take historical responsibility as a form of social maturity. But others point out that in a politically paralyzed legislature, symbolic initiatives are easier to pass than structural reforms in areas such as pensions, education or the budget. This article was originally written in German.
The Guardian
02-06-2025
- General
- The Guardian
France finally acts to deliver justice in infamous Dreyfus case
More than a century ago he was wrongly convicted of treason in a case that convulsed France and laid bare a rising tide of antisemitism. On Monday, French politicians took the first step towards remedying the injustice; unanimously backing a symbolic effort to promote Alfred Dreyfus, the Jewish French army captain, to brigadier general. It was the beginning of bringing Dreyfus a step closer to the title he was denied, said Gabriel Attal, the former prime minister who put forward the bill. 'Accused, humiliated and condemned because he was Jewish, Alfred Dreyfus was dismissed from the army, imprisoned and exiled to Devil's Island,' Attal wrote on social media last month, referring to the infamous penal colony in French Guiana. 'Promoting Alfred Dreyfus to the rank of brigadier general would constitute an act of reparation, a recognition of his merits, and a tribute to his commitment to the republic.' The roots of the case trace back to 1894, after a French counterintelligence officer found a torn-up document at the Germany embassy in Paris. As military officials scrambled to figure out who was passing military secrets to the Germans, they set their sights on Dreyfus, then a 36-year-old army captain from the Alsace region of eastern France. But Dreyfus was not the author of the note, as Charles Sitzenstuhl, a member of President Emmanuel Macron's centrist Renaissance party, told a parliamentary committee last month. He said: 'It was the antisemitism of a section of the military leadership at the time, perhaps combined with the jealousy over Dreyfus's exceptional qualities, all playing out against a backdrop of pressure from the press and nationalist and antisemitic movements, that led to him being accused without any proof and to the absurd persistence of this accusation.' Dreyfus was put on trial and convicted of treason. Publicly stripped of his rank, he was sentenced to life on Devil's Island. The case, however, was taken up by a new head of intelligence services, who noticed that the handwriting on the torn-up document matched that of another officer, Ferdinand Walsin Esterhazy. But when the evidence was presented to top brass the intelligence chief was driven out of the military and jailed for a year and Esterhazy was cleared. As Dreyfus languished in prison, his case began to gain traction. Author Émile Zola became one of his most ardent defenders, catapulting the case into the spotlight with the open letter, titled J'accuse, which accused the government of antisemitism and unlawful imprisonment. The case split French society into two bitterly opposed camps; the anti-Dreyfusards who were convinced of his guilt, and the Dreyfusards, who saw him as innocent. In June 1899, Dreyfus was brought back to France for a second trial. He was initially found guilty and sentenced to 10 years in prison, before being officially pardoned, though not cleared of the charges. It would take until 1906 for the high court of appeal to overturn the original verdict and exonerate Dreyfus. Eventually he was reinstated with the rank of major, going on to serve during the first world war. He died in 1935 at the age of 76. For years, lawmakers had batted around the idea of posthumously promoting Dreyfus, culminating in the legislation presented on Monday. 'The bill before you is the result of a unique legislative approach aimed at resolving a unique situation,' Sitzenstuhl told the National Assembly's defence committee earlier this year. 'It is a symbolic recognition of an extraordinary case, without parallel in the history of the republic.' Sitzenstuhl also suggested that Dreyfus could be entombed in the Pantheon, the Paris mausoleum reserved for France's greatest heroes. The bill now heads to the senate for debate. The legislation makes it clear that the push to properly recognise Dreyfus was also a means of highlighting that France's Jewish community – one of the largest in the world outside Israel and the US – continues to wrestle with discrimination. 'The antisemitism that struck Alfred Dreyfus is not a thing of the past,' the legislation noted, describing it as a fight that is 'still relevant today'. France has seen a rise in hate crimes: last year police recorded an 11% increase in racist, xenophobic or antireligious crimes, according to official data published in March.
Daily Mail
02-06-2025
- Business
- Daily Mail
France blames Brexit for migrant crisis as Macron MP attacks UK's 'very weak asylum policy' which makes Britain 'El Dorado' for illegal migration
A leading member of France 's governing party has described Britain as an 'El Dorado' for migrants with a 'very weak asylum policy'. The comments made by Eleonore Caroit, 39, on Monday are particularly significant because she is a close lieutenant of President Emmanuel Macron, and vice president of the National Assembly's foreign affairs committee. The Renaissance Party member was asked if a generous benefits culture and lax controls meant the UK was still an 'El Dorado' – the mythical city of gold in South America. Ms Caroit replied: 'It is. It's a complex situation, people want simple solutions, but you have to go to Calais and see what it looks like, and how many small boats you have and how many people are waiting to go to the UK. 'So, of course, there is a part that can be improved in France, and we're working towards that. 'But I also think the UK needs to take responsibility, because it is so attractive on these migrant routes today, and we actually need to work together instead of blaming each other.' Ms Caroit was speaking to French media after British politicians expressed anger at the failure of the French to stop thousands of migrants crossing the Channel in small boats. Ten people have died this year alone making the perilous trip from northern France, and Saturday saw a daily record of 1,194 people reaching the south coast of England. The French stopped just 184 migrants out of 1,378 leaving their shores, most of them on flimsy inflatables organised by people smugglers. This brought the total for 2025 up to 14,811 – the highest ever recorded in the first five months of a year, and up 42% on this time last year. Ms Caroit said it was 'unfair' to attack French police for standing by as migrants headed for Britain. She said: 'Once the boats are in the water, it is impossible for the French policemen to actually intercept them.' Calling for a legal change to allow officers to intervene in shallow waters, Ms Caroit said: 'It's a matter of legislation, but it's also a matter, again, of what happened after Brexit. Before it was easier to have the migrants return. 'We need increased co-operation between the UK and the French, the authorities and policemen, so that we can actually have a clear division of what can be done when the boats are in the water. 'And most importantly, it is important to deter these boats from actually wanting to go to the UK. Because unless we stop this, we can put more money into it, but there will be more boats.' Ms Caroit also said Britain was suffering for no longer being part of the Dublin Agreement, which had enabled the UK to return migrants to the EU if it was shown they had travelled through a European country and had failed to claim asylum there. No replacement for the Dublin accord was negotiated in the Brexit talks, although Prime Minister Keir Starmer is seeking to agree a similar scheme. Ms Caroit said: 'One thing is certain – the numbers have been increasing since Brexit, because the UK is no longer part of the Dublin Regulation and has a very weak asylum policy.' The French have intercepted just 38% of migrants in small boats this year, down from 45% in 2024, 47% in 2023 and 42% in 2022. This is despite Britain investing £480million over three years to fund extra officers and surveillance equipment on French beaches.
The Sun
02-06-2025
- Business
- The Sun
UK is ‘El Dorado' for migrants who get hotels and handouts, French MP slams as 1,100 cross Channel in just 1 day
BENEFITS for illegal migrants were slammed again today after a leading French MP said Britain was like 'El Dorado' for Channel crossers. Anger over relentless small boat arrivals has intensified after almost 1,200 made the journey in a single day on Saturday. 2 2 The mega rate of dinghies - up 40 per cent on last year - has also raised criticism of French cops' failure to intercept them despite being given £480million of UK taxpayer cash. But today a senior member of Emmanuel Macron's Renaissance party blamed the British government for making life 'so attractive' for potential migrants. Channel arrivals who claim asylum are given accommodation and food while their bids are being processed, with those unable to be deported given support indefinitely. Asked on the BBC if Britain was like 'El Dorado' - the mythical city of gold - Élénore Caroit told the BBC: 'It is. It's a complex situation, people want simple solutions, but you have to go to Calais and see what it looks like, and how many boats you have and how many people are waiting to go to the UK. 'So, of course, there is a part that can be improved in France, and we're working towards that. But I also think the UK needs to take responsibility, because it is so attractive to these migrant routes as of today, and we actually need to work together instead of blaming each other.' Sir Keir Starmer today insisted the government had ramped up the number of deportations and illegal working raids. He said: 'You have every right to be angry about small boat crossings. I'm angry too. 'We are ramping up our efforts to smash the people smuggling gangs at source.' It promoted a furious response from MP Rupert Lowe, who hit back: 'Don't put them up in hotels. Don't give them benefits. Don't let them stay - under any circumstances.' Police stood and watched as the gangs took advantage of calm seas on Saturday to launch 18 boats for the use of mostly young men. A total of 1,194 people made the crossing successfully, the highest number in a day since 2022. Officials said only 184 were stopped — fewer than 15 per cent. Photos of smiling migrants in the boats crossing the Channel emerged later on social media. It comes despite a deal agreed in 2023 to pay the French £480million to stop the crossings. Defence Secretary John Healey described the weekend scenes from the French beaches as 'shocking'. He said: 'Truth is, Britain's lost control of its borders over the last five years.' He said the smugglers were dodging waiting cops by 'launching elsewhere and coming around like a taxi'. Mr Healey said it was a 'really big problem' that, under French law, the police were not allowed to intervene once boats were in shallow waters. Watershed Day - The Sun Says THE arrival of 1,194 illegal migrants across the Channel on Saturday is a total humiliation for the politicians who have failed to keep us safe. It made a mockery of Keir Starmer's pledge last summer to 'smash the gangs' — and his much-trumpeted new £150million Border Security Command was quickly overwhelmed. And in an ironic reversal of our nation's Dunkirk spirit, local fishing boats were asked to help out. Meanwhile, the French cops — handed £480million by Britain — again stood watching uselessly as boatloads of mainly young men set sail unimpeded. The Government says things will change now it has persuaded France to implement new rules later this year to allow police to go out into the sea. Some hope, when French naval vessels have spent years merely escorting dinghies into British waters. The numbers of migrants stopped by France have fallen as our cheque paid to them has got bigger. The French blame us for offering benefits and free hotels and say the UK is an El Dorado paradise for illegals. It's hard to argue. Nothing will substantially shift the dial until a proper deterrent is found. Rwanda might have been it. The PM scrapped it. This should be a watershed moment. Depressingly, the problem this summer is only likely to get worse.
Telegraph
21-05-2025
- Politics
- Telegraph
Macron demands action against threat of Islamist extremism
Emmanuel Macron has demanded action to stop the growing influence of Islamist extremism in France in a tense security meeting. The French president ordered his government to act after a report declared the Muslim Brotherhood movement 'a threat to national cohesion', saying it aimed to destabilise the country through 're-Islamisation'. 'Given the importance of the subject and the seriousness of the facts established, he has asked the government to draw up new proposals that will be examined at a forthcoming defence council meeting in early June,' the Elysee Palace said. In a rare move, Mr Macron said he would also make the findings of the report public by the end of the week. Separately, Gabriel Attal, the secretary general of the president's Renaissance party, is poised to propose banning minors under the age of 15 from wearing the Muslim headscarf in public spaces. The party says the hijab 'seriously undermines gender equality and the protection of children'. Under Mr Attal's proposals, parents who force their underage daughters to wear the veil would face criminal charges. The report into the Muslim Brotherhood movement, founded in Egypt in 1928, was commissioned by the French government and prepared by two senior civil servants. It 'clearly establishes the anti-republican and subversive nature of the Muslim Brotherhood' and 'proposes ways to address this threat', the presidency said ahead of the meeting. Authorities are eager to prevent any spread of extremist Islamist ideas in a country that has been rocked by a string of deadly jihadist attacks. The Muslim Brotherhood was founded with the aim of recreating a unified state for all Muslims governed by Islamic law. Earlier this year, the United Arab Emirates placed 11 individuals and eight British-based entities on its terrorism list for alleged affiliation with the Muslim Brotherhood, which it designates as a terrorist organisation. Britain has not outlawed the movement. Report findings draw criticism Attendees of the security meeting, which included several of Mr Macron's ministers in foreign affairs, finance, national education and sports, told French media that the atmosphere was tense. They said the president chided his ministers for allowing the report to be leaked to the press, notably to Le Figaro, which released excerpts on Tuesday. 'President Macron was not at all happy with the leaks and made this known,' an unnamed participant told BFMTV, a French news channel. The findings drew criticism from Mr Macron's political rivals, with Marine Le Pen, the hard-Right leader, accusing the government of not going far enough to 'eradicate Islamist fundamentalism'. Jean-Luc Mélenchon, the hard-Left leader, said that 'Islamophobia has crossed a line'. The report identifies the group Muslims of France as the national branch of the Muslim Brotherhood, which the Federation of Muslims of France denounced as 'unfounded accusations' and warned against 'dangerous' conflation between Islam and radicalism. 'We firmly reject any allegation that attempts to associate us with a foreign political project or an 'entryism' strategy,' said Muslims of France, warning against 'a stigmatisation of Islam and Muslims'.
