French government introducing stricter immigration controls after riots News
French government introducing stricter immigration controls after riots

[JURIST] French Prime Minister Dominique de Villepin [official website; BBC profile] announced Tuesday that he would introduce stricter immigration controls as part of the French government's response to the riots [JURIST report] started by immigrant youth that broke out across the country in late October and lasted almost three weeks. Under the new controls, France will no longer automatically issue French identity papers to foreigners who marry French citizens abroad. Consulates will instead screen couples and determine whether to recognize their marriages. The French parliament will vote on the measures in the first half of 2006. To the dismay of opposition parties and human rights groups De Villepin also suggested that the government should enforce a law against polygamy, practiced by many Muslim immigrants in France. He also said he wants to extend to two years the period that immigrants must live in France before they can bring their families there. Read de Villepin's speech [in French]. AP has more. Le Monde has local coverage.