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Concessions made on French veil ban before vote
Paris, Feb 07: France`s ruling Conservatives have made two tactical concessions on their ban on religious emblems in state schools in a bid to ensure wide backing for the controversial law in a Parliament vote next Tuesday.
Paris, Feb 07: France`s ruling Conservatives have made two tactical concessions on their ban on religious emblems in state schools in a bid to ensure wide backing for the controversial law in a Parliament vote next Tuesday.
In one amendment made as Parliament closed its debate on the law late on Thursday, schools will now be required to hold talks aimed at resolving the dispute with any pupil flouting the law before they proceed with disciplinary measures.
The other calls for a review of the law after one year to see if its call for a ban on ``conspicuous`` symbols rather than merely ``visible`` ones is sufficiently clear to avoid argument.
France`s opposition socialists had asked for the two amendments in return for their support in next week`s national assembly vote. The law, which some Muslims argue unfairly targets them, now looks set to win widespread support.
Former minister Jean Glavany, who is the socialist spokesman on the issue, welcomed the stipulation that schools attempt to find a last-minute compromise with pupils in breach of the law.
``The Aim of state schools is to integrate people, not to exclude them,`` he told French Radio on Friday.
``We did not want the law to lead to an automatic process of exclusion,`` he added of a text which would allow schools to expel pupils who flouted the principle of secularity in French public institutions.
The law was debated for some 22 hours over four days with 120 speakers taking the floor, including Prime Minister Jean-Pierre Raffarin, Education Minister Luc Ferry and the leaders of all of France`s mainstream parties. Bureau Report
The other calls for a review of the law after one year to see if its call for a ban on ``conspicuous`` symbols rather than merely ``visible`` ones is sufficiently clear to avoid argument.
France`s opposition socialists had asked for the two amendments in return for their support in next week`s national assembly vote. The law, which some Muslims argue unfairly targets them, now looks set to win widespread support.
Former minister Jean Glavany, who is the socialist spokesman on the issue, welcomed the stipulation that schools attempt to find a last-minute compromise with pupils in breach of the law.
``The Aim of state schools is to integrate people, not to exclude them,`` he told French Radio on Friday.
``We did not want the law to lead to an automatic process of exclusion,`` he added of a text which would allow schools to expel pupils who flouted the principle of secularity in French public institutions.
The law was debated for some 22 hours over four days with 120 speakers taking the floor, including Prime Minister Jean-Pierre Raffarin, Education Minister Luc Ferry and the leaders of all of France`s mainstream parties. Bureau Report