President Nicolas Sarkozy fires ethnic minority women
President Nicolas Sarkozy of France has been having trouble with women lately, most of whom are strong and outspoken, ethnic minority women. His most recent headache is the dismissal of 3 minority women, despite his election promise to make France more diversified with ethnic minorities playing active roles in his broadly based government. But his foresight is short lived, if not close to an overhaul. And there’s a price he would have to pay at the poll, if he should seek re-election. His administration is predominantly white after his recent reshuffle, when he ousted 3 popular and dynamic women. (Photo: Rama Yade)
Senegalese-born Rama Yade, the sports minister, and Fadéla Amara, the minister for urban policies, lost their jobs in the shake-up that also signaled 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 over board in a long expected reshuffle – it was announced recently. The Prime Minister, François Fillon, was reappointed, and the French administration moved further to the right.
Rama Yade, 33, was one of the so-called Sarkozettes, seven women given ministerial posts after Sarkozy’s presidential victory in 2007. Their appointments were to fulfill his election promise to introduce “positive discrimination French-style” and to reflect the diversity of modern France. Yade, while hugely popular with the public, fell out of favor with the president for not toeing the official line on several occasions, including the time she criticized 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 position.
Fadela Amara, 46, a once outspoken French feminist and former president of the organization 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, more symbolic appointment, Rachida Dati, who was appointed justice minister, the first French woman of Algerian and Moroccan roots to occupy a top post in government, also fell out with the president and was sent to the European parliament, in June, 2009. In the reshuffle, French diversity was represented far down the political spectrum 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 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 organization. “It’s not a matter for celebration,” he emphasized.
Female politicians fared slightly better: six of the 15 cabinet posts are currently held by women, one fewer than in Sarkozy’s premier government in 2007. When those recruited included Nathalie Kosciusko-Morizet, 37, elected minister for ecology, development, transport and housing. Sarkozy’s move gives more ammunition to his critics and political pundits, who are wondering whether he’s trying to cover up his obvious shortcomings, including his sagging poll numbers, a disastrous recipe for a president whose re-election bid is not an eternity away, in today’s viral political landscape. But his recent financial woe imposing on France a prolonged retirement age from 60 to 62 years is a nightmare, if not strategically committing political suicide.
Roland Bankole Marke is a Sierra Leonean. Visit his website: on www.rolandmarke.com
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