Skip to main content
France

New racism charges against Sarkozy's UMP

French President Nicolas Sarkozy’s party, the UMP, faces fresh accusations of racism after one of his closest allies opposed the nomination of a Socialist to the head of the official anti-racism commission because he is of Algerian origin.

Gérard Longuet.
Gérard Longuet. AFP
Advertising

During an interview with France Info radio on Tuesday, Gérard Longuet, who is the UMP whip in the Senate, declared that Malek Boutih should not be appointed chief of the High Authority for the Fight against Discrimination and for Equality, Halde, because he does not come from a “traditional French” background.

 
The senator contrasted Boutih with retiring Halde head Louis Schweitzer because, he argued, the organisation represents “France opening up to new populations”.

“Schweitzer is perfect!” he said. “An old Protestant, perfect! The old Protesant bourgeoisie, perfect!”

And he opposed Boutih’s nomination on the ground that was “someone symbolic, exterior”.

Socialist Party number two Harlem Désir slammed Longuet’s declaration as “a veritable racial theory”, while UMP spokesperson Frédéric Lefebvre described it as regrettable.

And, to add to the UMP’s discomfiture, far-right leader Jean-Marie Le Pen said he agreed with Longuet, complaining that he was stealing his policies ahead of this weekend’s regional elections.

UMP politicians have been accused of racism on several occasions before and during the election campaign:
 

 

Daily newsletterReceive essential international news every morning

Keep up to date with international news by downloading the RFI app

Share :
Page not found

The content you requested does not exist or is not available anymore.