Race and politics in France :

[Al-khiyal]

Dati candidate aux européennes, quittera le gouvernement, selon la presse

Vendredi 23 Janvier 2009 -- La ministre de la Justice Rachida Dati quittera le gouvernement à l'occasion des européennes de juin pour faire campagne en Ile-de-France en 2e position sur la liste UMP derrière son collègue de l'Agriculture Michel Barnier, affirme vendredi le Figaro.

Selon le quotidien, Rachida Dati "après avoir refusé de conduire" la liste UMP aux européennes en Ile-de-France, "a finalement accepté la 2ème place, derrière Michel Barnier".

"Revirement plus spectaculaire encore: la ministre de la Justice est résignée à quitter le gouvernement", ajoute Le Figaro.

Le quotidien assure que Mme Dati "partira" du gouvernement. "En contrepartie, elle semble avoir obtenu des assurances sur son avenir national", dit-il.

Le président Nicolas Sarkozy doit lancer samedi la campagne européenne de l'UMP lors du conseil national qui désignera les têtes de listes du parti.

La semaine dernière, le nom de Rachida Dati avait circulé pour conduire la liste en Ile-de-France. Mais son entourage avait démenti, assurant que la garde des Sceaux, maire du VIIe arrondissement de Paris, n'était "pas prête" à quitter le gouvernement et "se plaisait" dans son mandat municipal.

[Al-khiyal]

Après avoir longtemps rechigné, Dati accepte d'aller aux européennes

Vendredi 23 Janvier 2009 -- Après avoir longtemps rechigné, la garde des Sceaux Rachida Dati a finalement accepté de se présenter aux élections européennes de juin, ce qui amènera cette ministre emblématique de la "diversité", mais à l'action controversée, à quitter le gouvernement.

A la veille du conseil national de l'UMP, où Nicolas Sarkozy lancera la campagne des européennes, les responsables du parti majoritaire ont confirmé la constitution en Ile-de-France d'un "ticket" constitué du ministre de l'Agriculture Michel Barnier en tête de liste et de Rachida Dati en numéro 2.

Selon des sources à la présidence, Michel Barnier, coordonnateur de la campagne nationale, devrait quitter le gouvernement en mars.

Rachida Dati, conformément à une exigence présidentielle, devra siéger au parlement de Strasbourg si elle est élue, ce qui ne fait aucun doute en deuxième de liste. Elle quittera donc le gouvernement.

A l'UMP on soulignait que les ministres candidats devraient quitter leur portefeuille au plus tard en mai, pour la campagne officielle.

Selon une source proche de l'UMP, des sondages ont été réalisés en interne pour savoir lequel des deux ministres avait le plus de chance de rassembler les électeurs s'il était placé en numéro 1. Et c'est l'ancien commissaire européen Michel Barnier qui l'a emporté.

"Ce tandem combine technicité et popularité", souligne un responsable du parti. "C'est un ticket fort: ces élections sont importantes, l'Ile-de-France est emblématique, il fallait marquer le coup", souligne un autre.

La surprise de cette annonce vient principalement du fait que la ministre de la Justice, dont le nom revenait avec insistance pour cette campagne, avait tenu à démentir à plusieurs reprises son intention d'y aller.

La semaine dernière, son entourage assurait ainsi que Rachida Dati, qui est également maire du VIIe arrondissement de Paris, n'était "pas prête" à quitter le gouvernement et "se plaisait" dans son mandat municipal.

Mais après avoir déjà essuyé le refus de la secrétaire d'Etat aux droits de l'Homme Rama Yade pour ce même scrutin, le chef de l'Etat a insisté.

"C'est le choix du président qui prime", souligne une source à l'UMP. Agée de 43 ans, Rachida Dati, fille d'un ouvrier marocain et d'une mère algérienne, doit son ascension politique fulgurante à Nicolas Sarkozy, au côté duquel elle a démarré sa carrière en 2002.

Au ministère de la Justice, son départ devrait en tout cas soulager une grande partie du monde judiciaire -magistrats, greffiers, avocats- parti en guerre contre les réformes menées tambour battant par Rachida Dati et ses manières jugées "cassantes".

"On parle d'un remaniement possible en juin ou à l'automne: il y a de fortes chances qu'à cette occasion Rachida Dati n'ait pas conservé son portefeuille. Dans ces circonstances, partir un peu avant ne change pas grand chose pour elle", souligne l'un des responsables de l'UMP.

En contrepartie de son engagement, Rachida Dati "gagnera une visibilité accrue sur la scène politique nationale", promet la même source. Elle reste "conseiller politique" de l'UMP mais cette fonction va être bientôt "considérablement renforcée" une fois arrivé Xavier Bertrand, qui prend officiellement samedi les rênes du parti.

Dans l'entourage de Michel Barnier, on se félicite du choix arrêté pour l'Ile-de-France: "c'est une réconnaissance de la légitimité européenne" du ministre de l'Agriculture, "qui travaille depuis des mois pour la campagne".

[Al-khiyal]

Rachida Dati sacked by Sarkozy

January 23, 2009 -- Rachida Dati, France's glamourous Justice Minister, is to leave Nicolas Sarkozy's government. Dati, 43, who caused a controversy earlier this month when she returned to work five days after giving birth to her first child, is said to have initially resisted, but the French daily Le Figaro claims that she is now "resigned" to going and that she will stand down in June, allowing her to fight for a seat in the European parliament elections.

Sarkozy has made no secret of the fact - in private at least - that he was dissatisfied with Dati, the first Muslim woman with north African parents to hold a major French ministerial post. Her Justice Ministry has lurched from crisis to crisis, and her unpopularity among judges and lawyers was felt to be overshadowing Sarkozy's plans to reform the judicial system.

But it wasn't just down to her ineptitude. Her steadfast refusal to name the father of her daughter, Zohra, has been the cause of constant speculation. As reported here, the finger of suspicion has pointed at President Sarkozy's younger brother, Francois, Jose Maria Aznar, the former Spanish Prime Minister, Bernard Laporte, the French Sports Minister, and Dominique Desseigne, the chairman of the Barriere casino and hotel group, all of whom have been forced to publically deny the rumours.

It also didn’t help that the First Lady was cold towards her. In a now infamous Elysee Palace story, Carla Bruni is alleged to have pointed to Sarkozy’s bed and, turning to Dati, said: "You'd have loved to occupy it, wouldn't you?"

Dati's refusal to take maternity leave also prompted controversy – even if she had little choice. Segolene Royal, the Socialist politician and former presidential candidate, accused Sarkozy of bullying Dati into returning to work for the announcement of a key justice reform, which he had scheduled himself.

[Al-khiyal]

French Justice Minister to resign from post

PARIS, January 23, 2009 (KUNA) -- French Justice Minister Rachida Dati will be resigning from her post, just three weeks after giving birth to a baby daughter, it was announced here Friday.

According to media reports, Dati, 43, who was appointed as justice minister in May 2007, has been "sacked from Nicolas Sarkozys government" even though she went back to work just five days after the birth of her baby on January 2.

Dati was the first person of North African origin, to take a top ministerial post. She is the second of 12 children from a Moroccan father and Algerian mother, who describes her life as "not a beautiful story" as she had to drop out of school at the age of 16.

The identity of the father of her baby has remained a speculation in the country as she refuses to reveal his name, and was quoted saying she has a "complicated private life." Also, her brothers Omar and Jamal Dati were both given prison sentences last year for drug dealing.

Reports indicated that the Minister will be leaving her post in June and will be running for the European Parliament elections.

[Al-khiyal]

Dati congédiée sans merci

Samedi 24 Janvier 2009 -- Virée ! La maternité et son retour au travail cinq jours seulement après avoir accouché n’auront accordé à la ministre de la Justice qu’un petit sursis. Jeudi soir, Rachida Dati a, de fait, été congédiée du gouvernement par le chef de l’Etat. Petit seigneur, il a offert à son ex-favorite une porte de sortie à peine honorable. Elle sera n °2 sur la liste aux européennes en Ile-de-France, derrière Michel Barnier, ministre de l’Agriculture, et devra quitter son ministère au printemps. Suprême humiliation, un vague strapontin de «conseiller politique» à l’UMP (au sein d’un pool d’une dizaine d’autres) lui a par ailleurs été proposé.

Signe de la violence de sa radiation, elle n’a pas eu un mot de la journée de vendredi pour commenter, ni même simplement confirmer qu’elle acceptait le dessein présidentiel. L’agonie ministérielle de Rachida Dati n’est plus qu’une affaire de semaines. Pour la voir partir au plus vite, le chef de l’Etat a demandé à Michel Barnier de quitter le gouvernement en mars alors que celui-ci répétait ces derniers jours que son départ était pour mai.

Celle qui avait fini par indisposer «presque physiquement», selon un de ses proches, le président de la République a pourtant lutté jusqu’au bout pour ne pas passer à la trappe. Il y a moins de dix jours, la ministre avait appelé le Figaro pour démentir officiellement sa candidature aux élections européennes : «Il n’en a jamais été question. J’ai encore reçu récemment l’assurance du président de la République que je continuerai en 2009 à mener mon action à la chancellerie», déclarait la ministre, en ajoutant un tonitruant «non, non et non !» à propos de son départ du gouvernement…

Sous l’aile du couple Sarkozy («C’est ma sœur», disait d’elle Cécilia), son ascension a été rapide. Sa dégringolade est encore plus brutale. Son sort était scellé depuis la fin de l’été pour des raisons qui relèvent autant de la sphère privée que publique. Depuis, l’Elysée moulinait les scénarios pour l’extirper du gouvernement. En coulisses plusieurs clans ayant l’oreille du chef de l’Etat se sont affrontés des mois durant autour du sort à réserver à Rachida Dati. Mais au fil du temps, ses derniers défenseurs à l’Elysée ont rendu les armes en constatant à quel point le Président ne voulait plus entendre parler d’elle. Se débarrasser de sa créature érigée en emblème de «la diversité française» n’a pourtant pas été une promenade de santé pour Nicolas Sarkozy. Et au regard des humiliations et des désaveux que Matignon et l’Elysée lui ont infligé ces derniers mois, la garde des Sceaux, alors enceinte, a fait preuve d’une capacité de résistance hors norme.

Pour faire céder Dati, Nicolas Sarkozy mais surtout ses amis chargés des basses besognes ont utilisé tous les stratagèmes : manipulation de la presse pour distiller les rumeurs hostiles, déstabilisation interne via des collaborateurs amis au sein du ministère de la Justice, travail de sape et humiliations pour dénigrer le travail de la ministre.

Rien n’a été épargné à Rachida Dati pour lui signifier sa disgrâce. Celle qui trottinait voilà un an en talons hauts et robe d’apparat aux quatre coins de la planète aux côtés du chef de l’Etat a commencé par être rayée, en mai 2008, de la liste du «G7», la garde rapprochée des ministres les plus politiques que Nicolas Sarkozy réunit régulièrement autour de lui à l’Elysée. Un choc pour elle. Elle a dû ensuite essuyer les affronts de François Fillon «totalement hostile» à l’incarcération possible des mineurs dès 12 ans quand elle jugeait la mesure de «bon sens». Ou encore cette rebuffade de Nicolas Sarkozy (qui l’a répété vendredi lors de ses vœux à la presse, comme pour enfoncer le clou) à propos de l’interpellation musclée du journaliste de Libération Vittorio de Filippis, sur laquelle Rachida Dati ne trouvait rien à redire. Enfin, le 7 janvier, le jour même de sa rentrée postnatale, elle subissait l’affront de devoir accompagner le Président face aux plus hauts magistrats pour l’annonce de la disparition du juge d’instruction.

Débinée en haut lieu, méprisée par une grande partie de la magistrature et lâchée par son mentor, Rachida Dati a donc fini par craquer. Pour faire passer la pilule aux électeurs, elle se présentera en bon soldat du sarkozysme qui obéit aux choix du Président. Forte d’une popularité intacte dans l’opinion, elle pourrait ensuite être tentée de se mettre à son compte.

[Al-khiyal]

Sealed with a kiss, the demise of Dati

January 24, 2009 -- The French Justice Minister Rachida Dati, who returned to work five days after giving birth this month, has been banished by President Nicolas Sarkozy into the "internal exile" of the European Parliament.

Mme Dati, 43, will retain her job until May but has agreed to stand down to become deputy leader of the ruling party's campaign in the greater Paris area for the European elections in June.

Although officially presented as a new, democratic and European adventure for Mme Dati, the decision amounts to a serious demotion for a woman catapulted into high office 20 months ago as a symbol of President Sarkozy's drive to "open up" French public life to women and minorities.

Mme Dati, a daughter of poor Algerian and Moroccan immigrants, is said to have begged the President to remain in her senior ministerial job, or at least national politics. According to one version of events, she won only a vague promise that she would be brought back into government, in another post, some time in the future.

Although initially a confidante of M. Sarkozy and a close friend of his ex-wife, Cécilia, Mme Dati's standing in the presidential "court" has plummeted in the past 15 months. The abrupt departure of the second Mme Sarkozy in October 2007 weakened her link to the President. Her campaign to rationalise the French courts was resisted by judges and lawyers who accused her of being high-handed and insensitive.

Her glamorous lifestyle and emergence as a "celeb" in glossy magazines, irritated M. Sarkozy. Worse, Mme Dati has an awkward relationship with the President's influential third wife. Carla Bruni-Sarkozy once revealed she had teased Mme Dati by pointing to the presidential bed at the Elysée Palace and saying: "You would have liked to have climbed in there, wouldn't you?"

Mme Dati announced last September that she was pregnant, but refused to name the father, angering the conservative-traditional wing of the ruling centre-right party, the Union pour un Mouvement Populaire (UMP). Mme Dati's much-criticised decision this month to return to work five days after giving birth to her daughter, Zohra, was widely seen as a desperate attempt to hang on to her job.

If so, it failed. President Sarkozy had initially tried to persuade her in December that she should take the number one position in the UMP's list for the European elections in greater Paris this June. She refused, saying she wanted to remain in national politics.

Yesterday it was announced that she had agreed to take a lesser position – the second spot, behind the Agricultural Minister, Michel Barnier. Under rules laid down by President Sarkozy, both ministers will have to resign before the campaign begins in May and both will have to take up their seats in Strasbourg and Brussels if elected (which is virtually certain).

Unlike M. Barnier, a former European commissioner, Mme Dati has never shown any previous interest in European politics. Membership of the European Parliament is as much a marginal position in French politics as it is in Britain. The decision was interpreted by the French media as a slow-motion dumping of Mme Dati. "It is an elegant way of getting her out of the Justice Ministry, without cutting her off from all prospects of a future in government," a senior UMP figure told the newspaper, Le Monde.

Other officials suggested she was unlikely to return to the cabinet but might, if she took to European "exile", be considered for the French position within the European Commission in 2010. It remains to be seen, therefore, whether this is the end of the meteoric rise of Mme Dati – or a new beginning.

Mme Dati was born near Lyons. Through academic brilliance, work and cheek, she became a highly-paid lawyer. Seven years ago she bombarded the newly-appointed Interior Minister with letters requesting a job. The minister, Nicolas Sarkozy, eventually relented. Mme Dati became a close adviser and one of two spokespeople for his presidential campaign in 2007.

Her appointment as Justice Minister in May 2007 stunned many people. President Sarkozy made her the poster-child of a long-overdue "overture" of French politics to racial minorities. Mme Dati's travails, which began almost immediately, have been interpreted in different ways. Some politicians suggest she has been given a tougher time than necessary because she is a woman of North African origin. Others say that the President wilfully appointed someone not equipped politically for such a high-profile job.

[Al-khiyal]

What Rachida Dati's fall means for France

January 24, 2009 -- Poor Rachida Dati. A year and a half ago this daughter of a Moroccan builder and his Algerian wife was the icon of a righteous new ethnic and gender balance at the top of French government. No wonder President Sarkozy made her Minister of Justice.

Now she is out on her ear, dispatched to run for that particular political limbo known as the European Parliament.

In between, she has had more image makeovers than even Trinny and Susannah could handle. Immigrant star or Maghreban make-weight; political dynamo or ministerial incompetent; cover-girl vixen or spurned suitor; feminist icon or heartless anti-mother, her name is used as evidence both for the prosecution and defence in all the arguments that matter in modern France.

Only a week she told those who asked if she was on the way out: "Non, non et non". Sarkozy, she said, had assured her she was safe.

Now that assurance is worth nothing. Sarkozy is too skilled a politician openly to fire the often popular, always interesting, Dati. But, in moving her on, there is no doubt that is effectively what has happened.

How did it come to this? Before Sarkozy's election success Dati was a key part of his campaign team. After his victory (and his divorce) she became France's unofficial first lady, accompanying the president to functions.

The pair could hardly have been closer (though some suspected that they were). She was, as one interviewer described her, "the star in Sarkozy's galaxy". Then, of course, she was outshone by the supernova that is Carla Bruni, who cornered Sarkozy's affections and attentions, and lorded it over her rival.

Bruni's alleged remark to Dati at a party in the private quarters of the Elysee Palace that "you would have liked to occupy [the presidential bed], wouldn't you?" is now part of French political folklore.

For macho male dinosaurs in politics and elsewhere, the idea that Dati is retiring hurt because of a catfight over an alpha-male no doubt substantiates a drool-sodden stereotype: two beautiful women at each others' throats as they let emotion come before work.

But there is more, much more, to the Dati story than that. For a start, the basic question must be asked: was she up to the job? Sarkozy might simply have misjudged her abilities and is rectifying the mistake.

If so, then her fall is significant not only for her, but also for women in France as well as for its Muslims, who number 4-6 million (no one knows for sure) * roughly 8 per cent of the population.

That's because she was portrayed as an achiever, capable and determined, and testament to the capabilities and determination of those minorities she represented.

It was undoubtedly a rather crass generalisation, but it was one that she bore happily. She talked of the pride her illiterate Moroccan mother would have felt at her professional ascent.

So to discover that, ultimately, she wasn't good enough would be a let down for those who believe that discrimination * positive and negative * could become an anachronism in France because candidates from all backgrounds can achieve the highest positions on merit.

Reassuringly, she was up to it. Indeed that was the whole problem.

Sarkozy gave her unenviable, some would say impossible, tasks. Among the major reforms she was charged with was rationalising France's regional courts, upsetting the entire magistrature.

She bulldozed the reform through nonetheless, and remained remarkably popular with the voters. But the abrasive style needed for reform took its toll in her own sphere.

Casualties among her staff are numerous. She is now hated by civil servants within the justice ministry and by a nation of lawyers beyond.

In the long term, she may be being shuffled out only to be shuffled back in somewhere else. In the short term, though, it is simply expedient for Sarkozy to get rid of a woman who now gets booed during speeches to the legal world.

Dati's exit, then, is not because she is a woman, or a Muslim, or of North African descent, but she has successfully done what her boss asked of her and is now a liability as a result.

In other words she is being treated very unfairly - just like anyone else in politics. And that is the best evidence of integration there is.