INTERNATIONAL CRISIS GROUP - NEW REPORT
France and its Muslims: Riots, Jihadism and Depoliticisation
The riots of October-November 2005 and the jihadist militancy in its Muslim population are the product of not only discrimination and exclusion but also the absence of political representation and a resulting sentiment of abandonment, all of which France must urgently address. With the neutralisation of Muslim youth organisations and political Islamism, and the failure of the secular political parties to engage properly with the Muslim population, there is a growing tendency to resort to violence. Security and socio-economic measures are a priority, as is decreasing the state’s coercive presence in suburban areas and reducing social discrimination. But equally critical is a political solution that aims to reform the means of representation for the Muslim populations, invigorate community associations and revitalise political participation in marginalised suburbs.
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Crisis Group reports and briefing papers are available on our website: www.crisisgroup.org
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