France's National Rally to bar dual nationals of state jobs
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The proposal drew criticism from the left and centrist parties, who consider it part of what may be a larger discrimination campaign if the party wins snap elections.
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Right-wing National Rally party president Jordan Bardella gives a press conference on June 24, 2024. (AP)
Jordan Bardella, who hopes may become prime minister if the French right-wing National Rally wins an absolute majority in parliament on July 7, stated this week that anyone with dual nationality will be barred from "the most strategic posts of state," which would be reserved for French residents. In a controversial suggestion, he stated that it would apply to strategic security and defense jobs.
Earlier this month, Macron dissolved the National Assembly and called for a snap legislative election following his group's poor performance in the European Parliament elections.
Bardella's proposal drew criticism from the left and centrist parties, who consider it part of what may be a larger discrimination campaign if the party wins snap elections.
Marine Le Pen, who will compete for president of the party, stated on Tuesday that there were "really only a handful of jobs" in "sensitive strategic posts." She stated that a list will be released and might be updated regularly in response to "geopolitical problems."
Gérald Darmanin, the interior minister, told Europe 1 radio that this was "dividing the nation" and unnecessary since critical occupations were already vetted in the country in various ways.
"I don't like this way of filtering the French," he added, citing it would disgrace "3 million French-Americans, French-Algerians, French-Portuguese, and French Moroccans...".
The left sees the measure as made to classify individuals based on ethnicity, background, or culture. They cited a draft bill released by Le Pen in January, while she was an MP, in which she sought a constitutional amendment to bar dual nationals from working in state administration, state corporations, and public service missions.
Jean-Philippe Tanguy, the RN's re-election candidate, told France Inter radio on Tuesday that there was no legislation sponsored by Le Pen or Bardella "that refers to people in terms of their religion on presumed origins". When asked about Emmanuel Macron's claims that the RN and the leftwing New Popular Front coalition threatened to bring "civil war" to France, he claimed they were "completely surreal".
Najat Vallaud-Belkacem, a former Socialist education minister with dual French and Moroccan nationality, sent an open letter to French readers in Le Monde on Tuesday in which she wrote about the " pain and anguish of this serious and uncertain electoral period," explaining that dual nationals and children of immigrants have a "target on our backs."
She claimed Le Pen's proposed rule in January, which excluded dual nationals from some public employment, amounted to "the refusal to see the children of immigrants in public positions".
During a recent BFMTV phone-in, Bardella attempted to reassure a caller that his party had been unfairly "caricatured" and that "French people of foreign origin" who "work and respect the law" had nothing to be concerned about.
The French constitution makes no distinction between French individuals, whether they are French by birth, dual nationals, or acquired nationality as adults.
The actual number of dual nationals in France is unknown because the question is not included in the census. It is believed to number between 3.3 million and 5 million individuals.
The RN also intends to remove nationality rights from children born and reared in France by foreign parents.
Pierre Ouzoulias, a Communist senator, wrote on X that the concept of restricting dual nationals from some positions demonstrated the RN's "ethnic vision of the nation that distinguishes good and bad French people according to their origins".
