Press Release
Published on December 6, 2015
Washington, D.C.—Today Human Rights First called on the U.S. government to redouble its efforts to promote tolerance in France in the wake of today’s regional elections, where the far-right National Front had a strong showing.
“We are concerned that, in the aftermath of last month’s tragic attacks in Paris, far-right groups in France have been escalating their xenophobic and islamophobic rhetoric, and mobilizing supporters to turn their anger against vulnerable minorities,” said Human Rights First’s Susan Corke, who recently returned from a research trip in France. “As the National Front gains political traction, this kind of rhetoric will continue to fuel polarization in French society. The influence of far-right groups on policy measures in France should not be underestimated, as the Paris attacks have triggered a debate on the extent to which human rights and civil liberties should be compromised in favor of security measures.”
Violent extremism poses a threat to the human rights of all. Human Rights First is concerned that the French government’s response to the Paris attacks, under the broad authority granted by the three-month state of emergency, risks engendering a counterproductive outcome. Heavy-handed measures that sweep broadly—from warrantless raids to house arrests, detentions, and the closure of places of worship—may lead to the intimidation and further alienation of the broader Muslim and North African community. This provides additional risks of a backlash in the form of antisemitic attacks. In order to disrupt the cycle of violence, the United States should urge the French government to step back from a “perpetual emergency” approach and drop plans to seek a constitutional reform that would allow for an indefinite state of emergency to be declared.
Today’s election’s results are in line with Human Rights First’s findings that the past decade has seen the ascendance of far-right political parties across Europe, many of which have been roundly criticized for their antisemitic, islamophobic, xenophobic, and racist rhetoric and policy proposals.
“The ascent of extremist parties in France and elsewhere in Europe risks corroding respect for the fundamental principles of democracy, human rights, and protection of minorities on which the European Union was founded, and the transatlantic alliance is based,” noted Corke. “The U.S. government should take into account the political clout of these parties in its strategy to combat antisemitism, islamophobia, homophobia, racism, and related human rights abuses, by exposing their hateful rhetoric and working with France and other allies to put forward a counter-narrative that emphasizes tolerance and pluralism.”
On January 7, to mark the anniversary of the Charlie Hebdo and the kosher supermarket attacks, Human Rights First will release a major report that examines how the rise of the far-right, Islamic extremism, and antisemitism are converging to fuel intolerance and violence in France. Human Rights First has released preliminary recommendations that stem from ongoing research, including recommendations for how the United States can best support France in the fight against extremism.
Human Rights First’s recommendations include:
