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The day after news broke of the attack in Herrlisheim, the Interior ministry reported that the number of anti-Semitic attacks in France rose during the first three months of 2004. This comes not too long after the National Advisory Council on Human Rights submitted its annual report which found that seven of 10 incidences of racially motived crimes were against Jews in 2003 (though 8 of ten violent acts were committed against Muslims).
Foreign Minister Barnier says there can be "no mercy."
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Chirac and Raffarin continue their slide in the polls toward positively Shroederian levels. A survey of 1,003 adults found that Chirac's approval rating now stands at 32%, a drop of three points from March. Poor, long-suffering Raffarin is down to 26%.
However, Finance minister Sarkozy, transferred from his lionizing role in the Interior ministry to his current booby-prize of an appointment (likely in order to frustrate him in his declared intentions) to run for Prime Minister and who may run against Chirac for president in 2007), is currently the most popular politician in France, with a 55% approval rating.
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France's Olympic team will require special police protection when it travels to Athens this summer. It's not just us, it seems.
Behind the Façades in France: What expats and the mainstream media (French and American alike) fail to notice (or fail to tell you) about French attitudes, principles, values, and official positions…
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