Freedom in the World 1998 - France

1998 Scores

Status: Free
Freedom Rating: 1.5
Civil Liberties: 2
Political Rights: 1

Overview

In his second year in office, Socialist Prime Minister Lionel Jospin presided over a slight rebound in the French economy. Unemployment rates, however, remained at more than ten percent.

Jospin began a government of "cohabitation" with conservative President Jacques Chirac after winning an upset election in 1997. Although the Socialists won an absolute majority in the National Assembly (parliament), Jospin named some ministers from the Communist and other leftist parties. The Communists have vowed to increase pressure on Jospin to increase taxes and social reforms, halt the privatization of state-owned companies, and end efforts to obtain French membership in the European Monetary Union and assession to the European Union's Amsterdam Treaty.

In recent years, the National Front, a far-right party led by the racist Jean-Marie Le Pen, has exerted strong influence in regional politics. In 1998, however, it suffered a number of setbacks. Le Pen was stripped of his immunity by the European Parliament and may face prosecution for making remarks that trivialized the Holocaust. He also faces a possible ban from French political office for physically attacking a Socialist parliamentary candidate. Another party leader lost in his re-election effort as mayor of Toulon. In September, the party lost its only remaining parliamentary seat.

After World War II, France established a parliamentary Fourth Republic, which was governed by coalitions and ultimately failed due to the Algerian war. The Fifth Republic began in 1958 under Prime Minister (and later president) Charles de Gaulle. Election of the President by popular suffrage began in 1965. In 1992, French citizens narrowly approved European political and economic union under the Maastricht Treaty.

Political Rights and Civil Liberties

French citizens can change their government democratically by directly electing the president and National Assembly. The constitution grants the president significant emergency powers, including rule by decree under certain circumstances. The president may call referenda and dissolve parliament, but may not veto its acts or routinely issue decrees. Decentralization has given mayors significant power over housing, transportation, schools, culture, welfare, and law enforcement. The judiciary is independent.

France has drawn criticism for its treatment of immigrants and asylum-seekers. Despite legal provisions authorizing refugee seekers to cross the border without visas or identity papers, border guards have occasionally used excessive force to discourage crossings.

The status of foreigners in France is confused by a succession of sometimes contradictory immigration laws. The National Front and other far-right groups have gained popularity by blaming immigrants for high unemployment. In fact, the jobless rate of immigrants is three times higher than that of the native French.

Soon after taking office, Prime Minister Jospin eased the country's residency rules by giving illegal immigrants a one-year period to apply for legal residency. Approximately 150,000 of the country's estimated one million illegal residents applied for papers. Government officials stated that approximately two-thirds of the applicants would be allowed to remain in France.

In August, the government further eased residency requirements by allowing foreigners to remain in France legally if they are seriously ill, if they are joining family members who are legally present, or if they are single, financially self-sufficient long-term residents.

The press in France is free, although the government's financial support of journalism and the registration of journalists has raised concerns about media independence. Publication of opinion polls results is prohibited in the week preceding any election.

Despite open suspicion toward Muslims and prohibitions against wearing religious garb or symbols in state schools, religious freedom is protected. Labor rights are respected in practice, and strikes are widely and effectively used to protest government economic policy. In October, one-fifth of the country's high school students launched street protests against the government's education policies.

Incendiary racist remarks by National Front leader Le Pen led to the introduction of legislation to punish the publication of xenophobic and racist ideas with mandatory jail sentences.

Women enjoy equal rights. In October, conservative members of parliament blocked a government proposal to recognize same-sex partners as legal couples.