General

Sarkozy calls multiculturalism a “failure”

French president says policy puts national identity at risk

French President Nicolas Sarkozy condemned multiculturalism as a threat to national identities in a televised ‘town hall’ meeting with French citizens on Thursday. “The truth is that in all our democracies we have been too preoccupied with the identity of those who arrived and not enough with the identity of the country that welcomed them,” said Sarkozy. In doing so, Sarkozy joined his counterparts in Britain and Germany, who have both characterized multiculturalism as a failed experiment. Sarkozy also emphasized France’s secular identity and warned against “aggressive religious proselytizing” during the town hall.

Financial Times

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