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France: The Nationality debate

01 January 1991

France: The Nationality debate
artdoc June=1993

On 11 May, the French National Assembly began debating changes
to French nationality law, part of a wide-ranging package on
nationality and immigration put forward by France's new interior
minister, Charles Pasqua to, in his words, `stop illegal
immigration and the spread of Islamic fundamentalism.' Opponents
of the changes have called this the first attack on the
fundamental right of citizenship in the country of birth since
the war-time Vichy government's persecution of foreigners and
Jews.
Under the current nationality code, children born in France to
foreign parents have an automatic right to French citizenship at
18, provided they have been resident in the country for the
previous five years. Under the proposed reform, this automatic
right would be lost. Instead, the children of immigrants would
have to apply for citizenship when they are between the ages of
16 and 21 and the authorities will have more discretion to refuse
on grounds of character and criminal convictions.
Further proposals in the package include an attack on family
reunion by giving mayors the right to refuse family visits on the
ground that the conditions of the proposed visit are `not
compatible with municipal urbanisation objectives' a ban on
marriage in France on those who do not have permission to live
there; and an extension of the `probationary period' before which
citizenship can be claimed on the basis of marriage from six
months to two years.
30 rebel members of the Gaullist administration want even more
restrictions; namely, a clause to be added making it impossible
for any applicant with a prison record of six months or more to
apply for nationality. (Guardian 12.5.93, Weekly Journal 22.4.93,
Figaro magazine 17.4.93, Le Monde 12.5.93).

IRR European Race Audit no 4 1993. Contact: Liz Fekete, Institute
of Race Relations, 2-6 Leeke Street, London WC1X 9HS. Tel: ++ 071
837 0041