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France's streets are replete with posters of immigrant candidates. (IOL Photo) |
PARIS — French of immigrant background are running in large numbers in the country's cut-throat legislative race, hoping to be represented in the 577-member legislature to have their voices heard.
"Candidates of immigrant background are highly tipped as possible lawmakers in an unprecedented way in French history," candidate Malika Ahmed told IslamOnline.net on Saturday, June 2.
"It is high time for French of immigrant background to have strong representation in parliament."
Ahmed is running as an independent for the June 10-17 election in the constituency of Seine Saint Denis, north of Paris. She ran for parliament for the first time in 2002.
"This is the second time to run for the seat," she said.
She is one of many immigrant candidates running this year for the polls.
Mouloud Aounit, the secretary general of the Movement Against Racism, and Kamal Hamza are running on the lists of the Communist Party and the ruling Union for a Popular Movement (UMP) respectively also in Seine Saint Denis.
In Paris, Said Bouaissi of the "Liberal Alternative" list and Jannat Boughreib and Linda Ismani of the UMP are also vying in the cut-throat contest.
Noura Ramdaniya of the UMP, Fernati Gendoubi of the Socialist Party and Houriya Hajj al-Sheikh of the Communist Party are also running in Marseille.
Several candidates of immigrant backgrounds are also among runners in Lyon, France's third largest city.
French voters will go to polling stations on June 10 to choose 577 members of the National Assembly.
A second round of voting will be held on June 17 in seats where no candidate wins an absolute majority in the first round.
The UMP of the recently elected President Nicola Sarkozy is expected to win a wide majority.
A recent IFOP poll showed that the UMP would win 41 percent of the vote.
It showed that the Socialist Party would come second with 27.5 percent, down 0.5 percent, followed by Democratic Movement (MoDem) of centrist Francois Bayrou on 12 percent, the far-right National Front (6 percent), the Greens (4 percent) and Communists (3.5 percent).
Turning Point
Ahmed believes that choosing Rachida Dati of North African origin as justice minister in the new cabinet has been a turning point in the French political scene.
This has given an impetus to create "a new France represented by a generation of different backgrounds who are united in defending French values," she said.
Observers agree that Dati's choice has helped change the French look to immigrants and encouraged them to stand up and be counted.
Since then, many French parties have raced to field candidates of immigrant backgrounds to parliament, revealing a diverse political landscape.
Defeated Socialist candidate Segolene Royal urged voters to cast ballot for her spokeswoman Nagat Belqassem, of North African origin, in Lyon and the Communist party fielded Malek Bouteh in central France.
The centrist Democratic Movement of former presidential hopeful Francois Bayrou picked World Judo champion Gamal Bouras to run in the suburbs and former minister of equal opportunities Azouz Begag in Lyon while Jean-Marie Le Pen's National Front fielded Farid Sameh of Algerian origin in Paris.
Suburbanites are further eying parliamentary seats to make their voices heard after years of marginalization.
"Last year, I tried to enter parliament to highlight demands and needs of my fellow suburbanites but I failed," said Samir Meihi, who runs as an independent in Clichy Sous-bois, east of Paris.
"This time, I will try my best to have a foothold in parliament," added Meihi who is running against Eric Raoul of the UMP.
France was hit by a deadly wave of riots in 2005 following the death of two youths of immigrant background while fleeing police.
The deaths ignited pent up frustration among young men, many of North African origin, at racism, unemployment, marginalization and mistreatment by police.
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