President Nicolas Sarkozy dismisses ethnic minority women
Commentary
President Nicolas Sarkozy has been having trouble with women lately,
most of whom are strong and outspoken, ethnic minority women. His most
recent headache is the dismissal of 3 minority women, despite his
election promise to make France more diversified with ethnic minorities
playing active roles in his broadly based government. But his foresight
is short lived, if not close to an overhaul. And there’s a price he
would have to pay at the poll, if he should seek re-election. His
administration is predominantly white after his recent reshuffle, when
he ousted 3 popular and dynamic women.
Senegalese-born Rama Yade (photo), the sports minister, and Fadéla
Amara, the minister for urban policies, lost their jobs in the shake-up
that also signaled an end to the French president’s policy of "openness"
to his political opponents and to racial minorities. Less than two
years ago, Sarkozy declared: "The diversity at the bottom of the country
must be illustrated by diversity at the head of the country. This is
not a choice, this is an obligation." That obligation went over board in
a long expected reshuffle – it was announced recently. The Prime
Minister, François Fillon, was reappointed, and the French
administration moved further to the right.
Rama Yade, 33, was one of the so-called Sarkozettes, seven women
given ministerial posts after Sarkozy’s presidential victory in 2007.
Their appointments were to fulfill his election promise to introduce
"positive discrimination French-style" and to reflect the diversity of
modern France. Yade, while hugely popular with the public, fell out of
favor with the president for not toeing the official line on several
occasions, including the time she criticized Sarkozy’s decision to
invite the Libyan leader, Muammar Gaddafi, to Paris on a state visit.
She also refused his offer of a European parliament position.
Fadela Amara, 46, a once outspoken French feminist and former
president of the organization Ni Putes Ni Soumis (Neither Whores Nor
Doormats), is a Muslim born to Algerian parents. She was appointed
junior minister for urban policies in 2007. Her main job was to devise a
"Marshall plan" for France’s troubled city suburbs, but she found
herself rapidly sidelined.
The third, more symbolic appointment, Rachida Dati, who was appointed
justice minister, the first French woman of Algerian and Moroccan roots
to occupy a top post in government, also fell out with the president and
was sent to the European parliament, in June, 2009. In the reshuffle,
French diversity was represented far down the political spectrum by
Jeannette Bougrab, of Algerian parentage and a former president of the
country’s anti-discrimination and equality authority, who is the newly
appointed junior minister for youth, and by Nora Berra, 47, who has
North African roots, and was appointed junior minister for sport.
Patrick Lozés, president of the Representative Council for Black
Associations, wrote on the Nouvel Observateur site: "This is a sad day
for diversity. I particularly regret the departure of Rama Yade from the
government. Her leaving is a heavy symbol for all French from visible
minorities."
He said the appointment of Bougrab was a blow to his organization.
"It’s not a matter for celebration," he emphasized.
Female politicians fared slightly better: six of the 15 cabinet posts
are currently held by women, one fewer than in Sarkozy’s premier
government in 2007. When those recruited included Nathalie
Kosciusko-Morizet, 37, elected minister for ecology, development,
transport and housing. Sarkozy’s move gives more ammunition to his
critics and political pundits, who are wondering whether he’s trying to
cover up his obvious shortcomings, including his sagging poll numbers, a
disastrous recipe for a president whose re-election bid is not an
eternity away, in today’s viral political landscape. But his recent
financial woe imposing on France a prolonged retirement age from 60 to
62 years is a nightmare, if not strategically committing political
suicide.
Roland Bankole Marke is a Sierra Leonean writer.