PARIS, December 21, 2005 (IslamOnline.net) – Growing increasingly dissatisfied with their marginalization in society and the absence of representatives speaking their problems, young French with immigrant background are registering in numbers to cast their ballots in future elections.

"Unlike in previous polls, we now have the chance to pick our own election candidates," comedian Jamel Debbouze told a rally in Clichy-sous-Bois, a scene of the first spark of the recent riots that rocked high-immigration suburbs, Tuesday, December 20.

Debbouze and a cohort of prominent young French with immigrant origin, including superstar footballer Lilian Thuram and rap singer Joey Starr, have formed a group to mobilize young French.

Answering the call, dozens of young French born to immigrants raced to the municipality building to register their votes.

The group made it no secret they will mobilize voters to vote down Interior Minister Nicolas Sarkozy in any polls.

Sarkozy has triggered an uproar after using the words "scum", "rabble" and "louts" to describe Arab youths who rebelled in October against their deplorable living conditions in French ghettos.

Nearly two weeks of rioting has left more than 6,000 cars burned, public and private property destroyed, tens of policemen injured and one civilian death.

More than 1,500 people -- mainly Arab and black youngsters -- have been detained.

The deaths of two youths fleeing police ignited pent up frustrations among young men, many of them of North and black African origin, at racism, unemployment, their marginal place in French society and their treatment by the police.

Answering the call, dozens of young French born to immigrants raced to the municipality building to register their votes.

In a related development, several members of the opposition French Socialist Party (PS) petitioned Francois Hollande, the party's secretary general and presidential candidate, to take a firm stance on discrimination and racism.

The petitioners asked Hollande to name a person to be in charge of fighting discrimination and racism against immigrants and their decedents.

They also called for setting up a committee to follow the position of French born to immigrants in the political life.

"We want clear-cut answers on the role of PS members born to immigrants in the party's platform," the petition read.

Signatories included senior party members such as Ouarda Karrai, Akli Mellouli and Chafia Mentalecheta.

Following the 2004 municipal elections, a group of PS members born to immigrants formed a body within the party tasked with integrating French born to immigrants into the party and the French political process.