France: Polygamy, female circumcision not grounds for losing citizenship

France: Polygamy, female circumcision not grounds for losing citizenship

Via Reuters:

President Nicolas Sarkozy vowed on Monday to press ahead with plans to strip French citizenship from immigrants who attack police, but ruled out that punishment for those who practice polygamy or promote female circumcision.

Sarkozy first proposed reversing the naturalisation of immigrants convicted of endangering the lives of police in July in response to three days of urban riots in the southern city of Grenoble after police shot dead a suspected armed robber.

But the president's proposals, and a separate call by his Interior Minister Brice Hortefeux to strip the nationality of polygamists and female circumcision advocates, have been fiercely criticised by the opposition and some legal experts.

In a statement issued after Sarkozy met with ministers responsible for security, justice and immigration, his office said the president had underlined his determination to implement the steps he announced in July "as soon as possible".

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