Loki
11-15-2010, 09:36 PM
Ethnic minority women sacked from cabinet as Sarkozy moves to right (http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2010/nov/15/ethnic-women-sacked-sarkozy-cabinet)
President wanted his government to reflect France's ethnic diversity when he came to power. Yesterday that was abandoned
http://static.guim.co.uk/sys-images/Guardian/Pix/pictures/2010/11/15/1289829892892/Rama-Yade-axed-as-French--006.jpg
Rama Yade: axed from her job as sports minister in Sunday's reshuffle of the French cabinet.
The French government has become more white and more rightwing in a reshuffle that has included the sacking of two ministers handpicked by Nicolas Sarkozy to bring ethnic diversity to the cabinet.
Senegalese-born Rama Yade, the sports minister, and Fadéla Amara, the minister for urban policies, lost their jobs in the shake-up that also signalled an end to the French president's policy of "openness" to his political opponents and to racial minorities.
Less than two years ago, Sarkozy declared: "The diversity at the bottom of the country must be illustrated by diversity at the head of the country. This is not a choice, this is an obligation."
That obligation went by the board in Sunday's long expected reshuffle – it was announced almost five months ago. The prime minister, François Fillon, was reappointed, and the French administration moved further to the right.
Yade, 33, was one of the so-called Sarkozettes, seven women given ministerial posts after Sarkozy's presidential victory in 2007. Their appointment was to fulfil his election vow to introduce "positive discrimination French-style" and to reflect the diversity of modern France.
Yade, while hugely popular with the public, fell out of favour with the president for not toeing the official line on several occasions, including the time she criticised Sarkozy's decision to invite the Libyan leader, Muammar Gaddafi, to Paris on a state visit. She also refused his offer of a European parliament job.
Amara, 46, a once outspoken French feminist and former president of the organisation Ni Putes Ni Soumis (Neither Whores Nor Doormats), is a Muslim born to Algerian parents. She was appointed junior minister for urban policies in 2007. Her main job was to devise a "Marshall plan" for France's troubled city suburbs, but she found herself rapidly sidelined.
The third symbolic appointment, Rachida Dati, who was made justice minister, the first Frenchwoman of Algerian and Moroccan roots to hold a top post in government, also fell out of favour with Sarkozy and was packed off to the European parliament in June last year.
In Sunday's reshuffle French diversity was represented far down the political pecking order by Jeannette Bougrab, of Algerian parentage and a former president of the country's anti-discrimination and equality authority, who is the newly appointed junior minister for youth, and by Nora Berra, 47, who has north African roots, and was appointed junior minister for sport.
Patrick Lozés, president of the Representative Council for Black Associations, wrote in his blog on the Nouvel Observateur site: "This is a sad day for diversity. I particularly regret the departure of Rama Yade from the government. Her leaving is a heavy symbol for all French from visible minorities."
He said the appointment of Bougrab was a blow to his organisation. "It's not a matter for celebration," he wrote.
Female politicians fared slightly better: six of the 15 cabinet posts are now held by women, one fewer than in Sarkozy's first government in 2007. The recruits include Nathalie Kosciusko-Morizet, 37, who is made minister for ecology, development, transport and housing.
President wanted his government to reflect France's ethnic diversity when he came to power. Yesterday that was abandoned
http://static.guim.co.uk/sys-images/Guardian/Pix/pictures/2010/11/15/1289829892892/Rama-Yade-axed-as-French--006.jpg
Rama Yade: axed from her job as sports minister in Sunday's reshuffle of the French cabinet.
The French government has become more white and more rightwing in a reshuffle that has included the sacking of two ministers handpicked by Nicolas Sarkozy to bring ethnic diversity to the cabinet.
Senegalese-born Rama Yade, the sports minister, and Fadéla Amara, the minister for urban policies, lost their jobs in the shake-up that also signalled an end to the French president's policy of "openness" to his political opponents and to racial minorities.
Less than two years ago, Sarkozy declared: "The diversity at the bottom of the country must be illustrated by diversity at the head of the country. This is not a choice, this is an obligation."
That obligation went by the board in Sunday's long expected reshuffle – it was announced almost five months ago. The prime minister, François Fillon, was reappointed, and the French administration moved further to the right.
Yade, 33, was one of the so-called Sarkozettes, seven women given ministerial posts after Sarkozy's presidential victory in 2007. Their appointment was to fulfil his election vow to introduce "positive discrimination French-style" and to reflect the diversity of modern France.
Yade, while hugely popular with the public, fell out of favour with the president for not toeing the official line on several occasions, including the time she criticised Sarkozy's decision to invite the Libyan leader, Muammar Gaddafi, to Paris on a state visit. She also refused his offer of a European parliament job.
Amara, 46, a once outspoken French feminist and former president of the organisation Ni Putes Ni Soumis (Neither Whores Nor Doormats), is a Muslim born to Algerian parents. She was appointed junior minister for urban policies in 2007. Her main job was to devise a "Marshall plan" for France's troubled city suburbs, but she found herself rapidly sidelined.
The third symbolic appointment, Rachida Dati, who was made justice minister, the first Frenchwoman of Algerian and Moroccan roots to hold a top post in government, also fell out of favour with Sarkozy and was packed off to the European parliament in June last year.
In Sunday's reshuffle French diversity was represented far down the political pecking order by Jeannette Bougrab, of Algerian parentage and a former president of the country's anti-discrimination and equality authority, who is the newly appointed junior minister for youth, and by Nora Berra, 47, who has north African roots, and was appointed junior minister for sport.
Patrick Lozés, president of the Representative Council for Black Associations, wrote in his blog on the Nouvel Observateur site: "This is a sad day for diversity. I particularly regret the departure of Rama Yade from the government. Her leaving is a heavy symbol for all French from visible minorities."
He said the appointment of Bougrab was a blow to his organisation. "It's not a matter for celebration," he wrote.
Female politicians fared slightly better: six of the 15 cabinet posts are now held by women, one fewer than in Sarkozy's first government in 2007. The recruits include Nathalie Kosciusko-Morizet, 37, who is made minister for ecology, development, transport and housing.