PARIS – The French government has decided to deny the nationality to a man over allegations that he has forced his French wife to wear the face-veil.
"This case is about a religious radical," French Prime Minister Francois Fillon told Europe 1 radio on Wednesday, February 3, asserting he would rubberstamp the Immigration Ministry's decision.
"He imposes the burqa, he imposes the separation of men and women in his own home, and he refuses to shake the hands of women," Fillon added.
Immigration Minister Eric Besson issued a statement on Tuesday, February 2, saying he has signed a decree denying citizenship to a man whose French wife wears burqa.
"He was depriving her of her liberty to come and go with her face uncovered and rejected the principles of secularism and equality between men and women."
Besson said that during checks into the man's application, he had explicitly stated that he would never allow his wife to go out without covering her face.
It was not clear if the wife was forced to cover her face or it was her choice.
The name and nationality of the man was not declared.
Justice Minister Michele Alliot-Marie has called for denying Muslim men who force their wives to wear the full veil the citizenship.
According to the Interior Ministry, only about 1,900 Muslim women are estimated to being using face-veils in the country.
France is home to nearly seven million Muslims, the biggest Muslim minority in Europe.
Most French Muslims have North African backgrounds.
French Values
Premier Fillon insisted that the Immigration Ministry acted within the law in denying the man the citizenship.
"The civil code has for a very long time provided that naturalization could be refused to someone who does not respect the values of the republic."
This came only a few days after a parliamentary commission recommended a partial ban on face-veils in hospitals, schools, public transportations and government offices.
The recommendation is expected to be turned into a law denying burqa women state services such as work visas, residency papers or French citizenship.
Prime Minister Fillon even vowed to expel the man.
"If this man does not want to change his attitude, he has no place in our country," he said.
"In any case, he does not deserve French nationality."
In 2008, a court denied a veiled Muslim woman the nationality for being "too submissive" to her husband and that her religious rituals were "incompatible" with French values.
"This case is about a religious radical," French Prime Minister Francois Fillon told Europe 1 radio on Wednesday, February 3, asserting he would rubberstamp the Immigration Ministry's decision.
"He imposes the burqa, he imposes the separation of men and women in his own home, and he refuses to shake the hands of women," Fillon added.
Immigration Minister Eric Besson issued a statement on Tuesday, February 2, saying he has signed a decree denying citizenship to a man whose French wife wears burqa.
"He was depriving her of her liberty to come and go with her face uncovered and rejected the principles of secularism and equality between men and women."
Besson said that during checks into the man's application, he had explicitly stated that he would never allow his wife to go out without covering her face.
It was not clear if the wife was forced to cover her face or it was her choice.
The name and nationality of the man was not declared.
Justice Minister Michele Alliot-Marie has called for denying Muslim men who force their wives to wear the full veil the citizenship.
According to the Interior Ministry, only about 1,900 Muslim women are estimated to being using face-veils in the country.
France is home to nearly seven million Muslims, the biggest Muslim minority in Europe.
Most French Muslims have North African backgrounds.
French Values
Premier Fillon insisted that the Immigration Ministry acted within the law in denying the man the citizenship.
"The civil code has for a very long time provided that naturalization could be refused to someone who does not respect the values of the republic."
This came only a few days after a parliamentary commission recommended a partial ban on face-veils in hospitals, schools, public transportations and government offices.
The recommendation is expected to be turned into a law denying burqa women state services such as work visas, residency papers or French citizenship.
Prime Minister Fillon even vowed to expel the man.
"If this man does not want to change his attitude, he has no place in our country," he said.
"In any case, he does not deserve French nationality."
In 2008, a court denied a veiled Muslim woman the nationality for being "too submissive" to her husband and that her religious rituals were "incompatible" with French values.
