Hollande calls for tougher race hate laws
French president urges 'faster, more effective sanctions' for racial crimes in the wake of kosher supermarket siege
Francois Hollande has called for tougher laws governing race hate, homophobic or religion-based crimes.
The French president laid out his proposals at a Jewish group's dinner in Paris, during which he reassured the country's Jewish community that they were both welcome and safe in France.
He said that he wanted "faster, more effective sanctions" against race hate during the speech, which came just over a month after 17 people were killed in joint attacks at the offices of the satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo and at a kosher supermarket.
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
His reassurances come as part of a concerted push by the French government to extend support to the country's Jewish community.
In the wake of the supermarket siege, Israel's prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu called for Jews to return "home" to the country due to the rise of anti-Semitism in Europe. The French prime minister Manuel Valls reacted swiftly to the remarks with a statement to French Jews that "France is wounded with you and France does not want you to leave".
More than 100 Jewish graves were desecrated in eastern France earlier this month, the BBC reports. There has also been a rise in Islamophobic incidents following the attack on Charlie Hebdo's offices.
President Hollande's remarks were overshadowed by a row that erupted between French Jewish and Muslim community leaders, after the leader of the French Jewish community accused young Muslims of being responsible for "all violence today”, Reuters reports.
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
The remarks prompted a leading Muslim group to boycott the annual dinner, which typically draws together leaders from all the major religions as well as prominent politicians.
On Monday night, meanwhile, French authorities seized the documents of six nationals who were allegedly planning to travel to Syria to join jihadists, the BBC reports.
Bernard Cazeneuve, interior minister, said the men wanted to join the Islamic State militant group, according to information from intelligence services.
-
The vast horizons of the Puna de AtacamaThe Week Recommends The ‘dramatic and surreal’ landscape features volcanoes, fumaroles and salt flats
-
Asylum hotels: everything you need to knowThe Explainer Using hotels to house asylum seekers has proved extremely unpopular. Why, and what can the government do about it?
-
Crossword: November 16, 2025The daily crossword from The Week
-
Nigeria confused by Trump invasion threatSpeed Read Trump has claimed the country is persecuting Christians
-
The Louvre’s security measures are in hot water after a major heistIn the Spotlight Millions of dollars in jewels were stolen from the museum
-
France’s ‘red hands’ trial highlights alleged Russian disruption operationsUNDER THE RADAR Attacks on religious and cultural institutions around France have authorities worried about Moscow’s effort to sow chaos in one of Europe’s political centers
-
Gaza ceasefire teeters as Netanyahu orders strikesSpeed Read Israel accused Hamas of firing on Israeli troops
-
The WW2 massacre dividing Senegal and FranceUnder the Radar A new investigation found the 1944 Thiaroye attack on ‘unarmed’ African soldiers was ‘premeditated’, and far deadlier than previously recorded
-
Sanae Takaichi: Japan’s Iron Lady set to be the country’s first woman prime ministerIn the Spotlight Takaichi is a member of Japan’s conservative, nationalist Liberal Democratic Party
-
Israel, Hamas agree to first step of Trump peace planSpeed Read Israel’s military pulls back in Gaza amid prisoner exchange
-
Prime minister shocks France with resignationSpeed Read French Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu submitted his government’s resignation after less than a month in office