France tries...

[DreamTone7]

...only to be criticized for it. Meanwhile, Italy and Spain kow-tow to dhimmitism:





www.usatoday.com/news/wor...tion_x.htm

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French immigration change draws critics

PARIS (AFP) — A move by the French government to tighten immigration laws sparked criticism Wednesday, with the opposition accusing Prime Minister Dominique de Villepin and Interior Minister Nicolas Sarkozy of using the issue to prepare their 2007 presidential election bids.

Villepin unveiled the plan Tuesday, two weeks after riots around the country that were largely carried out by youths from immigrant families, most originating from north and west Africa. The measures would:



• Increase obstacles for foreigners who want to study in France.



• Double to four years the interval before foreigners can apply to have family members join them, and after which foreigners with French spouses can apply for citizenship.



• Boost the requirement to learn French.



The prime minister said Sarkozy was to report back on the initiatives in February. The interior minister said he would be presenting an immigration bill to parliament early next year.



The opposition Socialist Party said in a statement that it "firmly opposed" the added restrictions on marriage and uniting families, saying "they are not the answer to migratory flows but rather show a demagogic race" between Villepin and Sarkozy.The two ministers are considered rivals and frontrunners to succeed President Jacques Chirac in the 2007 elections.



Socialists accused the ruling conservative UMP party of "going into extreme-right territory" by hammering away at immigration fears fuelled by the recent riots.The smaller oppostion Communist bloc went further, alleging that Villepin and Sarkozy were "taking foreigners hostage in their race for the presidential elections" and warned of "a dangerous extremist drift" in their plans.



A trade union grouping, UNSA, said that "after the explosion of violence in the suburbs, the government's measures seem an inappropriate response."



The Italian government also weighed in, taking umbrage at a comment Sarkozy made about its decision three years ago to give papers to 700,000 illegal immigrants and a similar decision by Spain this year as creating "a backdraft" in Europe that would encourage more illegal entries.



"My friend Sarkozy is impetuous and sometimes he goes overboard," Italian Interior Minister Giuseppe Pisanu said dryly.



Pisanu's deputy, Michele Saponara, was more forthright, telling La Stampa newspaper that Sarkozy "is in a lot of difficulty, he is looking for alibis and is on a witch hunt."

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My only criticizm is that they aren't going far enough.