Paris – President Jacques Chirac said Monday that unrest in the poor neighborhoods of France is the sign of a “profound malaise” the entire nation must work to heal through job training and employment opportunities for troubled youths.
In his first address to the nation since the rioting erupted, the president said companies, unions and the media must help bring diversity to French society and combat what he called the poison of discrimination.
French law must be obeyed, but values and hope also must be kindled in youths living in the poor, largely immigrant suburbs ringing French cities, he said.
“These events testify to a profound malaise. … This is a crisis of direction, a crisis of reference points, it is a crisis of identity,” he said. “We will respond by being firm, being just and being faithful to the values of France.”
Chirac spoke after the Cabinet approved a measure to extend a state of emergency from 12 days to three months. Parliament was to debate the bill today. There will be a possibility of ending the measure before the three- month term expires.
Chirac, who turns 73 later this month, was hospitalized in September for a blood-vessel problem that many thought was a stroke. However, he showed no signs of an ailment Monday.
He announced the creation of a corps of volunteers to offer training for 50,000 youths by 2007, and told companies and unions they must encourage diversity and support employment for youths from tough neighborhoods.
French media, which are not too ethnically diverse, must “better reflect the reality of France today,” Chirac said. “We will not build anything enduring without fighting this poison for society which is discrimination.”
The unrest has abated over the past week. But the decision to extend the state of emergency until mid-February made clear authorities feared the anger seething below the relative calm could resurface.
