In his first interview with with the French Media, President Obama notes his close friendship with French President Nicholas Sarkozy and his motivations for attempting a better dialogue between East and West. Obama adds that the United States is home to many Muslims, and therefore there is national interest for such dialogue. While bemoaning his…
Justice Minister Rachida Dati has turned heads in Paris, having moved out of the maternity ward and into a Cabinet meeting five days after giving birth at age 43. While Dati has wide public support, she has largely fallen out of favor with magistrates, lawyers, and President Nicholas Sarkozy, who many claim propelled the daughter…
National Front vice-president Marine Le Pen has offered her reflections on what President Nicholas Sarkozy has termed “positive secularism.” On the occasion of Pope Benedict XVI’s visit to France, Le Pen noted, “I have battled against positive secularism, but for reasons other than those I have seen in the newspapers in the last few days.”…
France fell just short of a target to deport 25,000 illegal immigrants in 2007, according to figures released by Immigration Minister Brice Hortefeux. French authorities deported an estimated 23,000-24,000 immigrants, as part of a controversial clampdown first launched when President Nicholas Sarkozy was interior minister. Several rights groups including Amnesty International have protested against the…
