| FRANCE French Republic Republique Francaise Joined United Nations: 24 October 1945 Human Rights as assured by their constitution Click here Updated 06/21/10 |
| CAPITAL |
| POPULATION |
| CHIEF OF STATE |
| SELECTION PROCESS |
Paris
64,057,792
62,814,233 metropolitan France (July 2010 est.)
62,814,233 metropolitan France (July 2010 est.)
Nicholas Sarkozy
President of France since 16 May 2007
President of France since 16 May 2007
French president elected by popular vote for a five-year term;
Election last held 16 May 2007;
Next scheduled election: first round April 2012, second
round May 2012
Election last held 16 May 2007;
Next scheduled election: first round April 2012, second
round May 2012
HEAD OF GOVERNMENT
SELECTION PROCESS
Francois Fillon
Prime Minister since 17 May 2007
Prime Minister since 17 May 2007
Prime Minister nominated by the National Assembly majority
and appointed by the president
and appointed by the president
| DECLARATION OF HUMAN RIGHTS |
| ETHNIC GROUPS |
Celtic and Latin with Teutonic, Slavic, North African, Indochinese, Basque minorities
overseas departments: black, white, mulatto, East Indian, Chinese, Amerindian
overseas departments: black, white, mulatto, East Indian, Chinese, Amerindian
| RELIGIONS |
Roman Catholic 83%-88%, Protestant 2%, Jewish 1%, Muslim 5%-10%, unaffiliated 4%
overseas departments: Roman Catholic, Protestant, Hindu, Muslim, Buddhist, pagan
overseas departments: Roman Catholic, Protestant, Hindu, Muslim, Buddhist, pagan
| GOVERNMENT STRUCTURE |
Republic with 26 regions (regions, singular - region)- 22 metropolitan regions (including the "territorial collectivity" of
Corse or Corsica) and 4 overseas regions ; Legal system is a civil law system with indigenous concepts; review of
administrative but not legislative acts
Executive: - President elected by popular vote for a five-year term (changed from seven-year term in October 2000);
election last held 22 April and 6 May 2007 (next to be held, first round April 2012, second round May 2012); prime
minister nominated by the National Assembly majority and appointed by the president
Legislative: bicameral Parliament or Parlement consists of the Senate or Senat (331 seats - 305 for metropolitan
France, 9 for overseas departments, 5 for dependencies, and 12 for French nationals abroad; members are indirectly
elected by an electoral college to serve nine-year terms; elected by thirds every three years);
National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale (577 seats - 555 for metropolitan France, 15 for overseas departments, 7
for dependencies; members are elected by popular vote under a single-member majority system to serve five-year
terms)
elections: Senate - last held 21 September 2008 (next to be held September 2014); National Assembly - last held 10
and 17 June 2007 (next to be held on June 2012)
Judicial: Supreme Court of Appeals or Cour de Cassation (judges are appointed by the president from nominations of
the High Council of the Judiciary); Constitutional Council or Conseil Constitutionnel (three members appointed by the
president, three appointed by the president of the National Assembly, and three appointed by the president of the
Senate); Council of State or Conseil d'Etat
Corse or Corsica) and 4 overseas regions ; Legal system is a civil law system with indigenous concepts; review of
administrative but not legislative acts
Executive: - President elected by popular vote for a five-year term (changed from seven-year term in October 2000);
election last held 22 April and 6 May 2007 (next to be held, first round April 2012, second round May 2012); prime
minister nominated by the National Assembly majority and appointed by the president
Legislative: bicameral Parliament or Parlement consists of the Senate or Senat (331 seats - 305 for metropolitan
France, 9 for overseas departments, 5 for dependencies, and 12 for French nationals abroad; members are indirectly
elected by an electoral college to serve nine-year terms; elected by thirds every three years);
National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale (577 seats - 555 for metropolitan France, 15 for overseas departments, 7
for dependencies; members are elected by popular vote under a single-member majority system to serve five-year
terms)
elections: Senate - last held 21 September 2008 (next to be held September 2014); National Assembly - last held 10
and 17 June 2007 (next to be held on June 2012)
Judicial: Supreme Court of Appeals or Cour de Cassation (judges are appointed by the president from nominations of
the High Council of the Judiciary); Constitutional Council or Conseil Constitutionnel (three members appointed by the
president, three appointed by the president of the National Assembly, and three appointed by the president of the
Senate); Council of State or Conseil d'Etat
| LANGUAGES |
French 100%, rapidly declining regional dialects and languages (Provencal, Breton, Alsatian, Corsican, Catalan, Basque,
Flemish)
overseas departments: French, Creole patois
Flemish)
overseas departments: French, Creole patois
| BRIEF HISTORY |
The Neanderthals, the earliest Homo sapiens, began to occupy Europe from about 200,000 BC. but seem to have died
out by about 30,000 years ago, presumably out-competed by the modern humans during a period of cold weather. The
earliest modern humans — Homo sapiens — entered Europe (including France) around 50,000 years ago (the Upper
Palaeolithic). Settled mainly by Celtic peoples (that the Romans referred to as the "Gauls"), a shrinking area of Basque
population in the southwest and Ligurian population on the southern coast, the area of modern France comprised the
bulk of the region of Gaul (Latin: Gallia) under the rule of the Roman Empire from the 1st century BC to the 5th century
AD. In 486,Clovis I, leader of the Salian Franks to the east, conquered the Roman territory between the Loire and the
Somme, subsequently uniting most of northern and central France under his rule and adopting in 496 the Roman
Catholic form of Christianity (over the Arianism preferred by rival Germanic rulers). In recognition of his successes and
his political support for the Papacy, Charlemagne was in 800 crowned Emperor of the Romans, or Roman Emperor in
the West, by Pope Leo III: on the death of his son Louis I (emperor 814-840), however, the empire was divided
among Louis's three sons (Treaty of Verdun, 843). After a last brief reunification (884-887), the imperial title ceased to
be held in the western part which was to form the basis of the future French kingdom. Under Carolingian kingship the
Kingdom was ravaged by Viking raiders. In this struggle some important figures such as Count Odo of Paris and his
brother King Robert had arisen to fame and became Kings.It can be said France became a truly centralised kingdom
under Saint Louis who brought several administrative reforms although as previously mentioned the royal power was
becoming more firm from Louis VI. France evolved from a feudal country to an increasingly centralized state (albeit
with many regional differences) organized around a powerful absolute monarchy which relied on the doctrine of the
Divine Right of Kings and the explicit support of the established Church. On the eve of the French Revolution of 1789,
France was in a profound institutional and financial crisis, but the ideas of the Enlightenment had begun to permeate the
educated classes of society. On July 14, 1789, after four hours of combat, the insurgents seized the Bastille prison,
killing the governor and several of his guards. After the first great victory of the French revolutionary troops at the battle
of Valmy on 1792 September 20 the French First Republic was proclaimed the day after on 1792 September 21. In
1799, Napoleon Bonaparte seized power as First Consul, and in 1802 he was made First Consul for life. The period
of 1802–1814 is known as that of the Napoleonic Wars, where Napoleon extended a French Empire over most of
Europe, until overreaching to Russian lands. The disaster of the march on Moscow would lead to Napoleon's defeat at
the Battle of Nations in 1813 and his abdication in 1814. In 1830 discontent culminated in an uprising in the streets of
Paris, known as the July Revolution. Louis-Philippe's "July Monarchy" (1830–1848) is generally seen as a period
during which the haute bourgeoisie was dominant. France was ruled by Emperor Napoleon III of France from 1852 to
1870. The era saw great industrialization, urbanization (including the massive rebuilding of Paris by Baron Haussmann)
and economic growth, but Napoleon III's foreign policies (including the French intervention in Mexico in which
Napoleon tried to establish the emperor Maximilian in Mexico) would be catastrophic. With the humiliating defeat of
Franco-Prussian War of 1870 and the fall of the second Empire, the French legislature established the Third Republic
which was to last until the military defeat of 1940. World War I (1914–1918) brought great losses of troops and
resources. Fought in large part on French soil, it lead to approximately 1.4 million French dead including civilians (see
World War I casualties), and four times as many casualties. The stipulations of the Treaty of Versailles (1919) were
severe: Alsace and Lorraine were returned to France; Germany was required to take full responsibility for the war and
to pay war reparations; the German industrial Saarland, a coal and steel region, was occupied by France. In the 1920s,
France established an elaborate system of border defences (the Maginot Line) and alliances (see Little Entente) to
offset resurgent German strength and in the 1930s, the massive losses of the war lead many in France to choose a
policy guaranteeing peace, even in the face of Hitler's violations of the Versailles treaty and (later) his demands at
Munich in 1938; this would be the much maligned policy of appeasement. The German Blitzkrieg began its attack in
May 1940, completely bypassing the Maginot Line. In six weeks of savage fighting the French lost 130,000, the
majority of the casualties they would suffer in the war. France surrendered to Nazi Germany on June 24, 1940. Nazi
Germany occupied three fifths of France's territory, leaving the rest to the new Vichy government, a Nazi puppet
regime, established on July 10, 1940. France was liberated by allied forces in 1944. After a short period of provisional
government initially led by General Charles de Gaulle, a new constitution (October 13, 1946) established the Fourth
Republic under a parliamentary form of government controlled by a series of coalitions. The May 1958 seizure of
power in Algiers by French army units and French settlers opposed to concessions in the face of Arab nationalist
insurrection led to the fall of the French government and a presidential invitation to de Gaulle to form an emergency
government to forestall the threat of civil war. In May 1968 students revolted, with a variety of demands including
educational, labor and governmental reforms, sexual and artistic freedom, and the end of the Vietnam War. The student
protest movement quickly joined with labor and mass strikes erupted. While France continues to revere its rich history
and independence, French leaders increasingly tie the future of France to the continued development of the European
Union. Current President Jacques Chirac assumed office on May 17, 1995, after a campaign focused on the need to
combat France's stubbornly high unemployment rate. The French have stood among the strongest supporters of NATO
and EU policy in the Balkans. Nicolas Sarkozy was elected President in an election last held 22 April and 6 May 2007
Sources: Wikipedia: History of France
out by about 30,000 years ago, presumably out-competed by the modern humans during a period of cold weather. The
earliest modern humans — Homo sapiens — entered Europe (including France) around 50,000 years ago (the Upper
Palaeolithic). Settled mainly by Celtic peoples (that the Romans referred to as the "Gauls"), a shrinking area of Basque
population in the southwest and Ligurian population on the southern coast, the area of modern France comprised the
bulk of the region of Gaul (Latin: Gallia) under the rule of the Roman Empire from the 1st century BC to the 5th century
AD. In 486,Clovis I, leader of the Salian Franks to the east, conquered the Roman territory between the Loire and the
Somme, subsequently uniting most of northern and central France under his rule and adopting in 496 the Roman
Catholic form of Christianity (over the Arianism preferred by rival Germanic rulers). In recognition of his successes and
his political support for the Papacy, Charlemagne was in 800 crowned Emperor of the Romans, or Roman Emperor in
the West, by Pope Leo III: on the death of his son Louis I (emperor 814-840), however, the empire was divided
among Louis's three sons (Treaty of Verdun, 843). After a last brief reunification (884-887), the imperial title ceased to
be held in the western part which was to form the basis of the future French kingdom. Under Carolingian kingship the
Kingdom was ravaged by Viking raiders. In this struggle some important figures such as Count Odo of Paris and his
brother King Robert had arisen to fame and became Kings.It can be said France became a truly centralised kingdom
under Saint Louis who brought several administrative reforms although as previously mentioned the royal power was
becoming more firm from Louis VI. France evolved from a feudal country to an increasingly centralized state (albeit
with many regional differences) organized around a powerful absolute monarchy which relied on the doctrine of the
Divine Right of Kings and the explicit support of the established Church. On the eve of the French Revolution of 1789,
France was in a profound institutional and financial crisis, but the ideas of the Enlightenment had begun to permeate the
educated classes of society. On July 14, 1789, after four hours of combat, the insurgents seized the Bastille prison,
killing the governor and several of his guards. After the first great victory of the French revolutionary troops at the battle
of Valmy on 1792 September 20 the French First Republic was proclaimed the day after on 1792 September 21. In
1799, Napoleon Bonaparte seized power as First Consul, and in 1802 he was made First Consul for life. The period
of 1802–1814 is known as that of the Napoleonic Wars, where Napoleon extended a French Empire over most of
Europe, until overreaching to Russian lands. The disaster of the march on Moscow would lead to Napoleon's defeat at
the Battle of Nations in 1813 and his abdication in 1814. In 1830 discontent culminated in an uprising in the streets of
Paris, known as the July Revolution. Louis-Philippe's "July Monarchy" (1830–1848) is generally seen as a period
during which the haute bourgeoisie was dominant. France was ruled by Emperor Napoleon III of France from 1852 to
1870. The era saw great industrialization, urbanization (including the massive rebuilding of Paris by Baron Haussmann)
and economic growth, but Napoleon III's foreign policies (including the French intervention in Mexico in which
Napoleon tried to establish the emperor Maximilian in Mexico) would be catastrophic. With the humiliating defeat of
Franco-Prussian War of 1870 and the fall of the second Empire, the French legislature established the Third Republic
which was to last until the military defeat of 1940. World War I (1914–1918) brought great losses of troops and
resources. Fought in large part on French soil, it lead to approximately 1.4 million French dead including civilians (see
World War I casualties), and four times as many casualties. The stipulations of the Treaty of Versailles (1919) were
severe: Alsace and Lorraine were returned to France; Germany was required to take full responsibility for the war and
to pay war reparations; the German industrial Saarland, a coal and steel region, was occupied by France. In the 1920s,
France established an elaborate system of border defences (the Maginot Line) and alliances (see Little Entente) to
offset resurgent German strength and in the 1930s, the massive losses of the war lead many in France to choose a
policy guaranteeing peace, even in the face of Hitler's violations of the Versailles treaty and (later) his demands at
Munich in 1938; this would be the much maligned policy of appeasement. The German Blitzkrieg began its attack in
May 1940, completely bypassing the Maginot Line. In six weeks of savage fighting the French lost 130,000, the
majority of the casualties they would suffer in the war. France surrendered to Nazi Germany on June 24, 1940. Nazi
Germany occupied three fifths of France's territory, leaving the rest to the new Vichy government, a Nazi puppet
regime, established on July 10, 1940. France was liberated by allied forces in 1944. After a short period of provisional
government initially led by General Charles de Gaulle, a new constitution (October 13, 1946) established the Fourth
Republic under a parliamentary form of government controlled by a series of coalitions. The May 1958 seizure of
power in Algiers by French army units and French settlers opposed to concessions in the face of Arab nationalist
insurrection led to the fall of the French government and a presidential invitation to de Gaulle to form an emergency
government to forestall the threat of civil war. In May 1968 students revolted, with a variety of demands including
educational, labor and governmental reforms, sexual and artistic freedom, and the end of the Vietnam War. The student
protest movement quickly joined with labor and mass strikes erupted. While France continues to revere its rich history
and independence, French leaders increasingly tie the future of France to the continued development of the European
Union. Current President Jacques Chirac assumed office on May 17, 1995, after a campaign focused on the need to
combat France's stubbornly high unemployment rate. The French have stood among the strongest supporters of NATO
and EU policy in the Balkans. Nicolas Sarkozy was elected President in an election last held 22 April and 6 May 2007
Sources: Wikipedia: History of France
| ECONOMIC OVERVIEW |
According to historian René Rémond's famous classification of the right-wings in France, this tradition belongs to the
Orleanist inheritance, while Gaullists inherited from Bonapartism and a tradition of state intervention issued from the
National Council of Resistance (CNR)'s welfare state program after the war.
However, neo-Gaullists have since rallied economic liberalism. The so-called right-wing of the PS: Francois Hollande,
Dominique Strauss-Kahn, Ségolène Royal have done likewise.
Libertarianism as such is rare in France; it is considered a form of ultra-liberalism or neo-liberalism and upheld only by
right-wingers such as Alain Madelin.
Some rightists, such as Nicolas Sarkozy, favour radical change in the relationship between the government and the free-
market.
They argue that for the last 30 years, under both left-wing and right-wing governments, the French have been misled
into believing that things could go on without real reforms. One may say that they favour a Thatcherite approach.
Others on the right (including Dominique de Villepin) as well as some on the left argue in favour of gradual reforms.
In comparison, the refusal of the French electorate to vote for the proposed European Constitution was interpreted by
some — in particular the French Communist Party and far-left parties such as LO or the LCR as a popular refusal of
libéralisme, which the European Union is perceived to embody. Some such as Laurent Fabius have argued that the
Socialist Party should thus have a more "left-wing" line.
It is worth noting that the French political system is currently undergoing a loss of legitimacy as the abstention rates has
more and more increased over the last elections to reach record levels so far.
Source: Wikipedia: Politics of France
Orleanist inheritance, while Gaullists inherited from Bonapartism and a tradition of state intervention issued from the
National Council of Resistance (CNR)'s welfare state program after the war.
However, neo-Gaullists have since rallied economic liberalism. The so-called right-wing of the PS: Francois Hollande,
Dominique Strauss-Kahn, Ségolène Royal have done likewise.
Libertarianism as such is rare in France; it is considered a form of ultra-liberalism or neo-liberalism and upheld only by
right-wingers such as Alain Madelin.
Some rightists, such as Nicolas Sarkozy, favour radical change in the relationship between the government and the free-
market.
They argue that for the last 30 years, under both left-wing and right-wing governments, the French have been misled
into believing that things could go on without real reforms. One may say that they favour a Thatcherite approach.
Others on the right (including Dominique de Villepin) as well as some on the left argue in favour of gradual reforms.
In comparison, the refusal of the French electorate to vote for the proposed European Constitution was interpreted by
some — in particular the French Communist Party and far-left parties such as LO or the LCR as a popular refusal of
libéralisme, which the European Union is perceived to embody. Some such as Laurent Fabius have argued that the
Socialist Party should thus have a more "left-wing" line.
It is worth noting that the French political system is currently undergoing a loss of legitimacy as the abstention rates has
more and more increased over the last elections to reach record levels so far.
Source: Wikipedia: Politics of France
| POLITICAL CLIMATE |
France is in the midst of transition from a well-to-do modern economy that has featured extensive government
ownership and intervention to one that relies more on market mechanisms. The government has partially or fully
privatized many large companies, banks, and insurers, and has ceded stakes in such leading firms as Air France, France
Telecom, Renault, and Thales. It maintains a strong presence in some sectors, particularly power, public transport, and
defense industries. With at least 75 million foreign tourists per year, France is the most visited country in the world and
maintains the third largest income in the world from tourism. France's leaders remain committed to a capitalism in which
they maintain social equity by means of laws, tax policies, and social spending that reduce income disparity and the
impact of free markets on public health and welfare. France has weathered the global economic crisis better than most
other big EU economies because of more resilient consumer and government spending, and lower exposure to the
downturn in global demand. Nonetheless, France's real GDP contracted 2.2% in 2009, while the unemployment rate
increased from 7.4% in 2008 to nearly 10%. In response to the economic crisis the government passed a $35 billion
stimulus plan in February 2009 centered on investment in infrastructure and tax breaks for small businesses. Paris also
created a $25 billion strategic investment fund to protect French companies from foreign takeovers, and President
Nicolas SARKOZY proposed a $52 billion plan for strategic investments in science and technology. These various
stimulus and investment measures are contributing to a deterioration of France's public finances. France's tax burden
remains one of the highest in Europe - at nearly 50% of GDP. The government budget deficit rose sharply from 3.4%
of GDP in 2008 to over 8% of GDP in 2009, topping the 3% euro-zone ceiling in both years. SARKOZY is expected
to seek passage of some structural reforms - notably to the pension system and government bureaucracy - which have
the potential to cut public expenditures, while he may delay additional, more costly, reforms.
Source: CIA World Factbook (select (France)
ownership and intervention to one that relies more on market mechanisms. The government has partially or fully
privatized many large companies, banks, and insurers, and has ceded stakes in such leading firms as Air France, France
Telecom, Renault, and Thales. It maintains a strong presence in some sectors, particularly power, public transport, and
defense industries. With at least 75 million foreign tourists per year, France is the most visited country in the world and
maintains the third largest income in the world from tourism. France's leaders remain committed to a capitalism in which
they maintain social equity by means of laws, tax policies, and social spending that reduce income disparity and the
impact of free markets on public health and welfare. France has weathered the global economic crisis better than most
other big EU economies because of more resilient consumer and government spending, and lower exposure to the
downturn in global demand. Nonetheless, France's real GDP contracted 2.2% in 2009, while the unemployment rate
increased from 7.4% in 2008 to nearly 10%. In response to the economic crisis the government passed a $35 billion
stimulus plan in February 2009 centered on investment in infrastructure and tax breaks for small businesses. Paris also
created a $25 billion strategic investment fund to protect French companies from foreign takeovers, and President
Nicolas SARKOZY proposed a $52 billion plan for strategic investments in science and technology. These various
stimulus and investment measures are contributing to a deterioration of France's public finances. France's tax burden
remains one of the highest in Europe - at nearly 50% of GDP. The government budget deficit rose sharply from 3.4%
of GDP in 2008 to over 8% of GDP in 2009, topping the 3% euro-zone ceiling in both years. SARKOZY is expected
to seek passage of some structural reforms - notably to the pension system and government bureaucracy - which have
the potential to cut public expenditures, while he may delay additional, more costly, reforms.
Source: CIA World Factbook (select (France)
| INTERNATIONAL DISPUTES |
Madagascar claims the French territories of Bassas da India, Europa Island, Glorioso Islands, and Juan de Nova
Island; Comoros claims Mayotte; Mauritius claims Tromelin Island; territorial dispute between Suriname and the
French overseas department of French Guiana; France asserts a territorial claim in Antarctica (Adelie Land); France
and Vanuatu claim Matthew and Hunter Islands, east of New Caledonia
Island; Comoros claims Mayotte; Mauritius claims Tromelin Island; territorial dispute between Suriname and the
French overseas department of French Guiana; France asserts a territorial claim in Antarctica (Adelie Land); France
and Vanuatu claim Matthew and Hunter Islands, east of New Caledonia
| REFUGEES AND INTERNALLY DISPLACED PERSONS (IDP) |
None reported.
| ILLICIT DRUGS |
Metropolitan France: transshipment point for South American cocaine, Southwest Asian heroin, and European
synthetics
French Guiana: small amount of marijuana grown for local consumption; minor transshipment point to Europe
Martinique: transshipment point for cocaine and marijuana bound for the US and Europe
synthetics
French Guiana: small amount of marijuana grown for local consumption; minor transshipment point to Europe
Martinique: transshipment point for cocaine and marijuana bound for the US and Europe
| HUMAN RIGHTS STATEMENTS, ANALYSIS AND CRITIQUES |
2009 Human Rights Report: France
Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor
2009 Country Reports on Human Rights Practices
March 11, 2010
France is a multiparty constitutional democracy with a population of approximately 64.3 million[1]. The president of the republic is
elected by popular vote for a five-year term, and Nicolas Sarkozy is the incumbent. The upper house (Senate) of the bicameral
parliament is indirectly elected through an electoral college while the lower house (National Assembly) is directly elected.
Parliamentary and presidential elections took place in 2007 and were free and fair. The Union for a Popular Movement (UMP) is the
majority party in parliament. Civilian authorities generally maintained effective control of the security forces.
The following human rights problems were reported:
Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor
2009 Country Reports on Human Rights Practices
March 11, 2010
France is a multiparty constitutional democracy with a population of approximately 64.3 million[1]. The president of the republic is
elected by popular vote for a five-year term, and Nicolas Sarkozy is the incumbent. The upper house (Senate) of the bicameral
parliament is indirectly elected through an electoral college while the lower house (National Assembly) is directly elected.
Parliamentary and presidential elections took place in 2007 and were free and fair. The Union for a Popular Movement (UMP) is the
majority party in parliament. Civilian authorities generally maintained effective control of the security forces.
The following human rights problems were reported:
- overcrowded and dilapidated prisons,
- lengthy pretrial detention,
- protracted investigation and trial proceedings,
- restrictions on religious wear in public institutions,
- anti-Semitic incidents,
- discrimination against Muslims,
- societal hostility towards immigrants and Roma including "Travellers,"
- societal violence against women,
- child abuse and child marriage,
- trafficking in persons.
TRANSLATED FROM FRENCH BY GOOGLE TRANSLATE
Committee against Torture
Forty-fourth session
April 26 to May 14, 2010
Consideration of reports submitted by States parties under article 19 of the Convention
ADVANCED VERSION, unedited
Concluding Observations of the Committee against Torture
FRANCE
A. Introduction
2. The Committee welcomes the fourth to sixth periodic report of France, overall, is consistent with guidelines regarding the form and
content of periodic reports.
3. The Committee appreciated the quality and documentation of written answers by France to the list of issues and additional
information provided orally during the review report. The Committee also appreciated the constructive dialogue with the delegation
which represented the State party, and thanks for clear answers to the questions asked.
B. Positive
4. The Committee notes with satisfaction:
a) The ratification by the State Party to the Optional Protocol to the Convention, and creating a corollary of the Comptroller General of
places of deprivation of liberty by the law of 30 October 2007, established as independent national preventive mechanism, as defined
the Optional Protocol;
b) The accession by the State Party, October 2, 2007, the second optional protocol to the International Covenant on Civil and Political
Rights, aiming at abolishing the death penalty;
5. The Committee also notes with satisfaction:
a) Establishment of judicial suspension of law, introduced by the Act of 20 November 2007 against a decision refusing entry after an
asylum application lodged at the border;
C. Concerns and recommendations
Definition of Torture
13. While acknowledging that the criminal law of the State party criminalizes torture and acts of barbarity and violence, and noting the
case law concerning the elements of criminal liability for torture who have been brought to its attention, the Committee remains
concerned at the lack of integration in the French Penal Code, a definition of torture that is strictly in conformity with Article I of the
Convention. (Article 1)
The Committee reiterates its previous recommendation (CAT/C/FRA/CO/3, para 5.) Requiring the State party to incorporate in its
criminal law a definition of torture that is strictly in conformity with Article I of the Convention . Such a definition would address one
part to the need for clarity and predictability in criminal law and necessity under the Convention, to distinguish acts of torture
committed by a public servant or other person acting in an official or at the instigation of or with the consent or acquiescence of, acts
of violence in the broadest sense, committed by non-state actors. The Committee also reiterates its recommendation to make torture a
crime of limitations.
Click here to read more »
Committee against Torture
Forty-fourth session
April 26 to May 14, 2010
Consideration of reports submitted by States parties under article 19 of the Convention
ADVANCED VERSION, unedited
Concluding Observations of the Committee against Torture
FRANCE
A. Introduction
2. The Committee welcomes the fourth to sixth periodic report of France, overall, is consistent with guidelines regarding the form and
content of periodic reports.
3. The Committee appreciated the quality and documentation of written answers by France to the list of issues and additional
information provided orally during the review report. The Committee also appreciated the constructive dialogue with the delegation
which represented the State party, and thanks for clear answers to the questions asked.
B. Positive
4. The Committee notes with satisfaction:
a) The ratification by the State Party to the Optional Protocol to the Convention, and creating a corollary of the Comptroller General of
places of deprivation of liberty by the law of 30 October 2007, established as independent national preventive mechanism, as defined
the Optional Protocol;
b) The accession by the State Party, October 2, 2007, the second optional protocol to the International Covenant on Civil and Political
Rights, aiming at abolishing the death penalty;
5. The Committee also notes with satisfaction:
a) Establishment of judicial suspension of law, introduced by the Act of 20 November 2007 against a decision refusing entry after an
asylum application lodged at the border;
C. Concerns and recommendations
Definition of Torture
13. While acknowledging that the criminal law of the State party criminalizes torture and acts of barbarity and violence, and noting the
case law concerning the elements of criminal liability for torture who have been brought to its attention, the Committee remains
concerned at the lack of integration in the French Penal Code, a definition of torture that is strictly in conformity with Article I of the
Convention. (Article 1)
The Committee reiterates its previous recommendation (CAT/C/FRA/CO/3, para 5.) Requiring the State party to incorporate in its
criminal law a definition of torture that is strictly in conformity with Article I of the Convention . Such a definition would address one
part to the need for clarity and predictability in criminal law and necessity under the Convention, to distinguish acts of torture
committed by a public servant or other person acting in an official or at the instigation of or with the consent or acquiescence of, acts
of violence in the broadest sense, committed by non-state actors. The Committee also reiterates its recommendation to make torture a
crime of limitations.
Click here to read more »
FREEDOM IN THE WORLD REPORT 2010
Political Rights Score: 1
Civil Liberties Score: 1
Status: Free
Overview
Several commissions reviewed a range of issues in France in 2009, including those related to the judiciary, measuring the country's
ethnic composition, the French administrative system, and the wearing of burqas. Meanwhile, a month-long general strike in
Guadeloupe and Martinique led to a governmental increase in payments to low-wage workers.
The government’s popularity declined in late 2007 when riots erupted after two teenagers of African descent were killed in a
collision with a police car. Unlike in 2005, the riots were better organized, and scores of police were wounded. By May 2008, the
president’s popularity was the lowest of any first-year president in 50 years. While Sarkozy’s reputation recovered somewhat with
a revived foreign and domestic agenda, including economic liberalization, his popularity again declined with the global financial
crisis, when Sarkozy began vocally criticizing laissez-faire capitalism. The economic downturn has caused an increase in already
high unemployment and incited many protests in 2009, including some militant demonstrations.The UMP won European Parliament
elections in June despite Sarkozy’s continuing unpopularity.
Sarkozy in 2009 proposed a plan to improve administrative efficiency by redrawing local and regional administrative boundaries.
Socialists have criticized the plan, alleging that the reforms aim to reduce their influence in regions where they dominate. The
proposals were still under review at year’s end.
France is an electoral democracy. The president and members of the key house of Parliament, the 577-seat National Assembly, are
elected to five-year terms; the upper house, the 321-seat Senate, is an indirectly elected body. The prime minister must be able to
command a majority in Parliament. Until 1986, the president and prime minister were always of the same party, and the president
was the most powerful figure in the country. However, since 1986, there have been periods lasting several years (such as 1997–
2002) in which the president and prime minister belonged to rival parties. In such circumstances, the prime minister has the
dominant role in domestic affairs, while the president largely guides foreign policy.
Parties organize and compete on a free and fair basis. The center-left PS and the center-right UMP are the largest parties, but
others with significant support range from the largely unreformed French Communist Party on the left to the anti-immigrant and
anti-EU National Front on the right. France remains a relatively unitary state, with some political and administrative powers
devolved to regions, departments, towns, and cities, but with key decisions made in Paris.
Click here to read more »
Political Rights Score: 1
Civil Liberties Score: 1
Status: Free
Overview
Several commissions reviewed a range of issues in France in 2009, including those related to the judiciary, measuring the country's
ethnic composition, the French administrative system, and the wearing of burqas. Meanwhile, a month-long general strike in
Guadeloupe and Martinique led to a governmental increase in payments to low-wage workers.
The government’s popularity declined in late 2007 when riots erupted after two teenagers of African descent were killed in a
collision with a police car. Unlike in 2005, the riots were better organized, and scores of police were wounded. By May 2008, the
president’s popularity was the lowest of any first-year president in 50 years. While Sarkozy’s reputation recovered somewhat with
a revived foreign and domestic agenda, including economic liberalization, his popularity again declined with the global financial
crisis, when Sarkozy began vocally criticizing laissez-faire capitalism. The economic downturn has caused an increase in already
high unemployment and incited many protests in 2009, including some militant demonstrations.The UMP won European Parliament
elections in June despite Sarkozy’s continuing unpopularity.
Sarkozy in 2009 proposed a plan to improve administrative efficiency by redrawing local and regional administrative boundaries.
Socialists have criticized the plan, alleging that the reforms aim to reduce their influence in regions where they dominate. The
proposals were still under review at year’s end.
France is an electoral democracy. The president and members of the key house of Parliament, the 577-seat National Assembly, are
elected to five-year terms; the upper house, the 321-seat Senate, is an indirectly elected body. The prime minister must be able to
command a majority in Parliament. Until 1986, the president and prime minister were always of the same party, and the president
was the most powerful figure in the country. However, since 1986, there have been periods lasting several years (such as 1997–
2002) in which the president and prime minister belonged to rival parties. In such circumstances, the prime minister has the
dominant role in domestic affairs, while the president largely guides foreign policy.
Parties organize and compete on a free and fair basis. The center-left PS and the center-right UMP are the largest parties, but
others with significant support range from the largely unreformed French Communist Party on the left to the anti-immigrant and
anti-EU National Front on the right. France remains a relatively unitary state, with some political and administrative powers
devolved to regions, departments, towns, and cities, but with key decisions made in Paris.
Click here to read more »
AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL
PUBLIC STATEMENT
24 May 2010
Committee against Torture urges France to investigate allegations of ill-treatment by law enforcement officials
Amnesty International calls on France to promptly implement all the recommendations made by the Committee against Torture (the
Committee) in its concluding observations following its review of France’s implementation of the UN Convention against Torture and
other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (the Convention) on 14 May 2010.
The Committee stated that it was “particularly concerned” by the persistence of allegations of ill-treatment by law enforcement
officials in France and urged the French authorities to ensure that each allegation is followed by a prompt, transparent and independent
investigation, and that those responsible receive an adequate sanction.
The Committee called on France to guarantee the independence and integrity of judicial procedures and investigations carried out by
independent oversight mechanisms. It said that France should ensure that individuals, including those who allege that they have been
subjected to torture or other ill-treatment by police, have direct access to complain to the National Commission on Security Ethics
(CNDS); currently complaints may only be referred to the CNDS through a member of Parliament or other intermediary.
While the French authorities informed the Committee that no law enforcement official had been convicted for acts of torture, they did
not report on how many complaints and investigations had been carried out. Such information is not readily available to the public.
The Committee requested that France provide the data in its next periodic report due on 14 May 2014. It is to be disaggregated by
age, sex and ethnic origin. The Committee also requested information on the specific measures taken by France to protect
complainants from acts of intimidation and reprisals by law enforcement officials.
During the oral proceedings, which form part of the Committee’s review, Committee members raised concerns with French officials
about the use of “excessive” restraint techniques by law enforcement officials, and enquired about changes in procedure following the
deaths in 1998 and 2007 (respectively) of Mohamed Saoud and Abdelhakim Ajimi following use of what appeared to be the same
restraint technique by French police officers. The Committee requested information on the instructions by the National Police
Inspectorate (IGPN) on the use of such techniques by law enforcement officials, issued in 2008.
Referring to the absolute prohibition of removing a person to a place where they face a risk of torture or other ill-treatment, the
Committee deplored that it had received many allegations that the French authorities removed individuals to countries where they
faced such a risk. It also deplored allegations that individuals forcibly returned to their country of origin had been arrested or subjected
to ill-treatment upon arrival. The Committee said that France should ensure that no one is expelled to a country where he or she would
be at risk of torture.
Click here to read more »
PUBLIC STATEMENT
24 May 2010
Committee against Torture urges France to investigate allegations of ill-treatment by law enforcement officials
Amnesty International calls on France to promptly implement all the recommendations made by the Committee against Torture (the
Committee) in its concluding observations following its review of France’s implementation of the UN Convention against Torture and
other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (the Convention) on 14 May 2010.
The Committee stated that it was “particularly concerned” by the persistence of allegations of ill-treatment by law enforcement
officials in France and urged the French authorities to ensure that each allegation is followed by a prompt, transparent and independent
investigation, and that those responsible receive an adequate sanction.
The Committee called on France to guarantee the independence and integrity of judicial procedures and investigations carried out by
independent oversight mechanisms. It said that France should ensure that individuals, including those who allege that they have been
subjected to torture or other ill-treatment by police, have direct access to complain to the National Commission on Security Ethics
(CNDS); currently complaints may only be referred to the CNDS through a member of Parliament or other intermediary.
While the French authorities informed the Committee that no law enforcement official had been convicted for acts of torture, they did
not report on how many complaints and investigations had been carried out. Such information is not readily available to the public.
The Committee requested that France provide the data in its next periodic report due on 14 May 2014. It is to be disaggregated by
age, sex and ethnic origin. The Committee also requested information on the specific measures taken by France to protect
complainants from acts of intimidation and reprisals by law enforcement officials.
During the oral proceedings, which form part of the Committee’s review, Committee members raised concerns with French officials
about the use of “excessive” restraint techniques by law enforcement officials, and enquired about changes in procedure following the
deaths in 1998 and 2007 (respectively) of Mohamed Saoud and Abdelhakim Ajimi following use of what appeared to be the same
restraint technique by French police officers. The Committee requested information on the instructions by the National Police
Inspectorate (IGPN) on the use of such techniques by law enforcement officials, issued in 2008.
Referring to the absolute prohibition of removing a person to a place where they face a risk of torture or other ill-treatment, the
Committee deplored that it had received many allegations that the French authorities removed individuals to countries where they
faced such a risk. It also deplored allegations that individuals forcibly returned to their country of origin had been arrested or subjected
to ill-treatment upon arrival. The Committee said that France should ensure that no one is expelled to a country where he or she would
be at risk of torture.
Click here to read more »
France-Africa Summit: Support Justice to End Atrocities
Seek Action to Bring to Justice Long-term Rights Abusers Who Have Evaded Prosecution
May 28, 2010
(Nice) - Heads of state attending the France-Africa summit should make a strong commitment to provide justice for victims of
human rights abuses and to bring perpetrators to account, Human Rights Watch said today.
The Conference of Heads of State of Africa and France will meet in Nice, France on May 31 and June 1, 2010.
"Unless African governments are willing to bring prosecutions for the worst human rights abuses, they will have a hard time
achieving political stability and sustainable development," said Jon Elliott, Africa advocacy director at Human Rights Watch.
"Impunity leads to conflict, corruption, and lives stunted by fear and intimidation."
Sudan, Chad, the Democratic Republic of Congo, and Guinea are among the countries where the perpetrators of massive human
rights violations have not been held to account. The future of these countries is imperiled by the failure to reckon with the grave
crimes committed, Human Rights Watch said.
The Nice summit coincides with the opening of the Review Conference on the Rome Statute, which created the International
Criminal Court (ICC), in Kampala from May 31 to June 12. Human Rights Watch called on the countries represented in Nice to
make a public commitment to independent national and international justice for grave human rights violations.
The France-Africa summit was originally scheduled to be held in Egypt, but the Egyptian government insisted on inviting President
Omar al-Bashir of Sudan, who is being sought under an arrest warrant from the ICC. France changed the venue of the summit to
France so that al-Bashir would not attend.
But Human Rights Watch said that France had yet to demonstrate its full commitment to accountability for grave international
crimes by incorporating the Rome Statute's provisions into its national law so that people accused of war crimes or crimes against
humanity abroad can be prosecuted in France. A draft law, which could be passed this week, has severe limitations that will make
it very difficult to prosecute suspected war criminals found in France.
"A law that will allow suspected war criminals to continue roaming free on French territory is hardly something to be proud of,"
said Jean-Marie Fardeau, Paris director at Human Rights Watch. "The law should be adapted so that France can play its role in the
fight against impunity."
Human Rights Watch commended France for its support of a United Nations inquiry after the massacre of opposition supporters by
government security forces in Conakry, Guinea in September 2009, and encouraged France to promote justice similarly elsewhere
in Africa where serious human rights violations occur.
Click here to read more »
Seek Action to Bring to Justice Long-term Rights Abusers Who Have Evaded Prosecution
May 28, 2010
(Nice) - Heads of state attending the France-Africa summit should make a strong commitment to provide justice for victims of
human rights abuses and to bring perpetrators to account, Human Rights Watch said today.
The Conference of Heads of State of Africa and France will meet in Nice, France on May 31 and June 1, 2010.
"Unless African governments are willing to bring prosecutions for the worst human rights abuses, they will have a hard time
achieving political stability and sustainable development," said Jon Elliott, Africa advocacy director at Human Rights Watch.
"Impunity leads to conflict, corruption, and lives stunted by fear and intimidation."
Sudan, Chad, the Democratic Republic of Congo, and Guinea are among the countries where the perpetrators of massive human
rights violations have not been held to account. The future of these countries is imperiled by the failure to reckon with the grave
crimes committed, Human Rights Watch said.
The Nice summit coincides with the opening of the Review Conference on the Rome Statute, which created the International
Criminal Court (ICC), in Kampala from May 31 to June 12. Human Rights Watch called on the countries represented in Nice to
make a public commitment to independent national and international justice for grave human rights violations.
The France-Africa summit was originally scheduled to be held in Egypt, but the Egyptian government insisted on inviting President
Omar al-Bashir of Sudan, who is being sought under an arrest warrant from the ICC. France changed the venue of the summit to
France so that al-Bashir would not attend.
But Human Rights Watch said that France had yet to demonstrate its full commitment to accountability for grave international
crimes by incorporating the Rome Statute's provisions into its national law so that people accused of war crimes or crimes against
humanity abroad can be prosecuted in France. A draft law, which could be passed this week, has severe limitations that will make
it very difficult to prosecute suspected war criminals found in France.
"A law that will allow suspected war criminals to continue roaming free on French territory is hardly something to be proud of,"
said Jean-Marie Fardeau, Paris director at Human Rights Watch. "The law should be adapted so that France can play its role in the
fight against impunity."
Human Rights Watch commended France for its support of a United Nations inquiry after the massacre of opposition supporters by
government security forces in Conakry, Guinea in September 2009, and encouraged France to promote justice similarly elsewhere
in Africa where serious human rights violations occur.
Click here to read more »
23 September 2009
General Assembly
Speech delivered by French President Nicolas Sarkozy
(translation of statement made in French)
Speaking to you in France’s name today, I am well aware that in the circumstances we find ourselves today we all have a historic
responsibility.
We are right in the middle of an unprecedented financial, economic and social crisis; we are on the verge of a global ecological
disaster; we must now invent a new world where the follies of yesterday will no longer be possible. This is the responsibility
incumbent on us.
Now we all know towards what disasters our stubborn attempts to resolve the problems of the twenty-first century with twentieth-
century instruments and ideas may lead us.
From now on, not a single one of us will be able to claim he or she didn’t know.
There is universal recognition that the path the world has taken over the last few decades is a dead end. This recognition is taking
place against a background of hardship, suffering and fear. Ladies and gentlemen, heads of State and government, we are politically
and morally accountable for this accumulated suffering on the planet. Tens of millions of men and women have lost their jobs and
their homes. A billion human beings are suffering from hunger, hundreds of millions have no access to water or energy, and haven’
t minimum healthcare. It’s up to us, heads of State and government, and no one else, to give back hope to these hundreds of
millions of the world’s inhabitants. Those paying for the consequences of the crisis are in no way responsible for them.
To everyone outraged by the behaviour of those, in the financial sector, who led us to the brink of the chaos and would like to go
on getting rich unscrupulously, we owe an answer.
To those still dying in absurd wars from another age, at a time when mankind has so many challenges to meet, we owe an answer.
And France’s unambiguous answer: everything can no longer go on as before. We have to change, we can’t accept everything
starting again and another disaster occurring tomorrow.
After such a condemnation of our usual thinking, our prejudices, basically, the task which rests on our shoulders is exactly the
same as the one resting on the men of goodwill who here, just after the Second World War, laid the foundations of a new global
political, economic and monetary world order. The generation preceding us lived up to its responsibilities; the question facing us
today: will we, ourselves, find the way to live up to this same responsibility?
The world is going to change. It cannot be otherwise.
Click here to read more »
General Assembly
Speech delivered by French President Nicolas Sarkozy
(translation of statement made in French)
Speaking to you in France’s name today, I am well aware that in the circumstances we find ourselves today we all have a historic
responsibility.
We are right in the middle of an unprecedented financial, economic and social crisis; we are on the verge of a global ecological
disaster; we must now invent a new world where the follies of yesterday will no longer be possible. This is the responsibility
incumbent on us.
Now we all know towards what disasters our stubborn attempts to resolve the problems of the twenty-first century with twentieth-
century instruments and ideas may lead us.
From now on, not a single one of us will be able to claim he or she didn’t know.
There is universal recognition that the path the world has taken over the last few decades is a dead end. This recognition is taking
place against a background of hardship, suffering and fear. Ladies and gentlemen, heads of State and government, we are politically
and morally accountable for this accumulated suffering on the planet. Tens of millions of men and women have lost their jobs and
their homes. A billion human beings are suffering from hunger, hundreds of millions have no access to water or energy, and haven’
t minimum healthcare. It’s up to us, heads of State and government, and no one else, to give back hope to these hundreds of
millions of the world’s inhabitants. Those paying for the consequences of the crisis are in no way responsible for them.
To everyone outraged by the behaviour of those, in the financial sector, who led us to the brink of the chaos and would like to go
on getting rich unscrupulously, we owe an answer.
To those still dying in absurd wars from another age, at a time when mankind has so many challenges to meet, we owe an answer.
And France’s unambiguous answer: everything can no longer go on as before. We have to change, we can’t accept everything
starting again and another disaster occurring tomorrow.
After such a condemnation of our usual thinking, our prejudices, basically, the task which rests on our shoulders is exactly the
same as the one resting on the men of goodwill who here, just after the Second World War, laid the foundations of a new global
political, economic and monetary world order. The generation preceding us lived up to its responsibilities; the question facing us
today: will we, ourselves, find the way to live up to this same responsibility?
The world is going to change. It cannot be otherwise.
Click here to read more »
TRANSLATED FROM FRENCH BY GOOGLE TRANSLATE
Draft law on immigration, integration and citizenship: Mr. Eric Besson meeting CNCDH
June 11, 2010
Having seized the National Consultative Commission of Human Rights Bill on immigration, integration and citizenship, Eric Besson,
Minister of Immigration, Integration, Identity National and Development Partnership, spoke at a plenary meeting held June 10,
2010 to submit his text to the members and answer their questions.
Discussions focused in particular on the legislative instability in a sensitive area for human rights, lengthening the duration of initial
placement in a detention center extended five days, the risks for human creation of temporary holding areas, particularly in respect
of unaccompanied foreign minors. The question of the advisability of extending the maximum period of detention was also
discussed.
CNCDH had previously sent to the Minister earlier opinions connected with this new Bill, including a notice of 15 May 2003 on the
draft law on the control of immigration and residence of foreigners in France The opinion of 1 June 2006 on the draft law on
immigration and integration, the opinion of 20 September 2007 on the draft law on the control of immigration, integration and the
asylum, the opinion of 19 November 2009 on assistance to the entry, movement and residence, the notice of 18 December 1999
on trafficking and exploitation of human beings in France.
CNCDH will vote on this bill as a new opinion after a study of all its provisions. The bill should be considered on first reading at
the National Assembly in September 2010.
Click here to read more »
Draft law on immigration, integration and citizenship: Mr. Eric Besson meeting CNCDH
June 11, 2010
Having seized the National Consultative Commission of Human Rights Bill on immigration, integration and citizenship, Eric Besson,
Minister of Immigration, Integration, Identity National and Development Partnership, spoke at a plenary meeting held June 10,
2010 to submit his text to the members and answer their questions.
Discussions focused in particular on the legislative instability in a sensitive area for human rights, lengthening the duration of initial
placement in a detention center extended five days, the risks for human creation of temporary holding areas, particularly in respect
of unaccompanied foreign minors. The question of the advisability of extending the maximum period of detention was also
discussed.
CNCDH had previously sent to the Minister earlier opinions connected with this new Bill, including a notice of 15 May 2003 on the
draft law on the control of immigration and residence of foreigners in France The opinion of 1 June 2006 on the draft law on
immigration and integration, the opinion of 20 September 2007 on the draft law on the control of immigration, integration and the
asylum, the opinion of 19 November 2009 on assistance to the entry, movement and residence, the notice of 18 December 1999
on trafficking and exploitation of human beings in France.
CNCDH will vote on this bill as a new opinion after a study of all its provisions. The bill should be considered on first reading at
the National Assembly in September 2010.
Click here to read more »
TRANSLATED FROM FRENCH BY GOOGLE TRANSLATE
21 June, 2010
Retreats down for everyone?
LDH Release
The government announced its preliminary draft law on pension reform raises emotions and fears. The League of Human Rights
noted that once again the "reforms" announced have been preceded by any negotiation and that the strategy of hype is substituted
for the Republican debate to imply that everything would already played.
The DDA calls on citizens to protest en masse on June 24 alongside the trade unions
The ultimatum to unions and the intransigence displayed on the back of the legal age of retirement contribute, too, contribute to a
feeling of "already done". The method, as brutal as manipulative, the tone of the content. The announced reforms are preparing a
social regression of extreme gravity. The decline of legal age to 62 years and age of full retirement age to 67 would produce a
lower pension, exacerbate inequalities, especially when faced with life expectancy. Women would count once again among the
main victims of this new device. Young finally be penalized right out of school by extending the working hours of their elders. Add
to this the fact that the hardship is denied as a global phenomenon and only be taken into account when worn immediate personal
and patent. Uneven in its content, this "reform" is also unfair in its funding. Indeed, it is based essentially on a biopsy taken from
wages.
Far from "saving the pension system as you go", as proclaimed in the Government, this project aims to provide the pension market
to insurance companies, to reassure the financial markets seeking to reduce government budgets and social throughout Europe. It
does not ensure the sustainability of the system and does not respond to the real perils that lie in the precariousness of work and
employment.
The League of Human Rights reaffirms its commitment to the fundamental principle of retirement pay, and the statutory retirement
age to 60 years. Because the requirements of equality and solidarity are integral parts of the design indivisible human rights,
involving the French Republic does not consider that the current proposals, the methodology does not meet these requirements.
She welcomed the union convergence that were strengthened in this new context, because it considers that there is a factor, it
urges people to protest en masse on June 24 alongside the trade unions to demonstrate their commitment to a dignified retirement in
a society of solidarity, justice and equal rights.
Click here to read more »
21 June, 2010
Retreats down for everyone?
LDH Release
The government announced its preliminary draft law on pension reform raises emotions and fears. The League of Human Rights
noted that once again the "reforms" announced have been preceded by any negotiation and that the strategy of hype is substituted
for the Republican debate to imply that everything would already played.
The DDA calls on citizens to protest en masse on June 24 alongside the trade unions
The ultimatum to unions and the intransigence displayed on the back of the legal age of retirement contribute, too, contribute to a
feeling of "already done". The method, as brutal as manipulative, the tone of the content. The announced reforms are preparing a
social regression of extreme gravity. The decline of legal age to 62 years and age of full retirement age to 67 would produce a
lower pension, exacerbate inequalities, especially when faced with life expectancy. Women would count once again among the
main victims of this new device. Young finally be penalized right out of school by extending the working hours of their elders. Add
to this the fact that the hardship is denied as a global phenomenon and only be taken into account when worn immediate personal
and patent. Uneven in its content, this "reform" is also unfair in its funding. Indeed, it is based essentially on a biopsy taken from
wages.
Far from "saving the pension system as you go", as proclaimed in the Government, this project aims to provide the pension market
to insurance companies, to reassure the financial markets seeking to reduce government budgets and social throughout Europe. It
does not ensure the sustainability of the system and does not respond to the real perils that lie in the precariousness of work and
employment.
The League of Human Rights reaffirms its commitment to the fundamental principle of retirement pay, and the statutory retirement
age to 60 years. Because the requirements of equality and solidarity are integral parts of the design indivisible human rights,
involving the French Republic does not consider that the current proposals, the methodology does not meet these requirements.
She welcomed the union convergence that were strengthened in this new context, because it considers that there is a factor, it
urges people to protest en masse on June 24 alongside the trade unions to demonstrate their commitment to a dignified retirement in
a society of solidarity, justice and equal rights.
Click here to read more »
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| TRAFFICKING IN PERSONS |
None reported.