WORLD BRIEFING / FRANCE
- Share via
President Nicolas Sarkozy declared that the Islamic burka is not welcome in France, branding the face-covering, body-length gown as a symbol of subservience that suppresses women’s identities and turns them into “prisoners behind a screen.”
But there was a mixed message in the tough words: an admission that the country’s long-held principle of ethnic assimilation -- which insists that newcomers shed their traditions and adapt to French culture -- is failing because it doesn’t give immigrants and their French-born children a fair chance.
In a speech to lawmakers, Sarkozy said the head-to-toe Muslim body coverings were in disaccord with French values.
“The burka is not a religious sign, it’s a sign of subservience, a sign of debasement,” he said.
Sign up for Essential California
The most important California stories and recommendations in your inbox every morning.
You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times.
