France opens debate on divisive immigration bill

By Tom HeneghanMon May 1, 6:26 PM ET

France heads into a highly divisive fight over immigration policy on Tuesday when Interior Minister Nicolas Sarkozy submits a bill in parliament to attract skilled newcomers while keeping poorer ones out.

His proposal, widely seen as part of his campaign for the presidential election next year, has attracted criticism from left-wing parties and church leaders and prompted the far-right to step up its stridently anti-immigrant line.

But it puts him at the center of attention at a time when Prime Minister Dominique de Villepin is seriously weakened by his recent climbdown over labor law reform and a growing scandal about an alleged smear campaign against Sarkozy.

Sarkozy, the son of a Hungarian immigrant, has had to defend himself against charges he is running a xenophobic drive to poach votes from far-right National Front leader Jean-Marie Le Pen, who launched his presidential campaign on Monday.

"All democrats should welcome it if the National Front's score falls," Thierry Mariani, a deputy and Sarkozy ally, said on Monday. Le Pen shocked France in 2002 by finishing second to President Jacques Chirac in the first round of voting.

Sarkozy says the bill aims to attract a new generation of skilled workers who would embrace French values and traditions, thus easing the tense race relations that led to last autumn's suburban riots by youths mostly of immigrant origin.

It would create a three-year "skills and talents" residence permit to attract skilled workers. It would also make it harder for resident immigrants to bring family here, force newcomers to take French and civics lessons and end their automatic right to a long-term residence permit after 10 years in France.

CRITICS AND RIVALS

Sarkozy says his bill would allow France to select its immigrants, as other industrialized countries do, rather than take anyone who comes. This should help reduce racism, he says.

Left-wing critics say the law will not work, will stigmatize 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.

More than 5,000 people marched through Paris on Saturday to protest against the bill.

Separately, Catholic Cardinal Jean-Pierre Ricard and Jean- Arnold Clermont, head of the French protestant federation, met Prime Minister Dominique de Villepin to express their concern about some measures in the draft law.

On the far right, Le Pen told a rally on Monday that the tougher line from Sarkozy and a far-right rival showed that his anti-immigrant views were gaining ground in France. Many held up a map of France with the slogan "Love it or leave it."

Le Pen's far-right rival Philippe de Villiers began his presidential campaign this month with blistering attacks on what he calls the Islamisation of France and a demand for an end to all mosque construction around the country.

Political analysts say Sarkozy is courting far-right voters after ensuring Paris climbed down this month over a labor law reform that sparked sometimes violent mass protests. His presidential prospects could suffer if disillusioned voters switch to far-right parties as a result.

The bill comes as Chirac and Villepin, both badly mauled by the crisis over the new law for young workers, are struggling to show they can still govern despite the setback.