Tuesday, 9 February 2010
The three month debate on national identity in France bears concrete results at the governmental level with symbolic measures. French Prime Minister François Fillon announced on Monday, February 8, a few symbolic measures to provide social unity.
French PM Fillon said that schools will be ordered to fly the French flag and to have a copy of the 1789 Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen in every classroom. There will also be a kind of “citizen’s handbook” for French children which will enable them to learn more about the values of the republic. Under the new measures and as part of national identity, new immigrants coming to France will sign a contract of integration and will play a part in a ceremony to be French citizens; however, the details are vague.
There are also planned lessons for immigrant parents to be introduced across France. The major emphasis in the lessons will be on the values of the republic and the principle of equality as well as knowledge of the French language.
The national identity debate has mainly been supported by the French President Nicolas Sarkozy. The debate has been criticized to be xenophobic, mostly because the debate has aimed at immigrants and Islam in particular.
