Assimilation and France

First, no one know how many immigrants live in France. In fact, no one really knows who is or isn’t an immigrant. There are now third generation immigrants who are French citizens born to French parents and for whom “the French” are the white people from neighboring cities.

Secondly, it has been nearly impossible to criticize the immigration policy without being called a racist, even though the immigration issue has never been about race.

Third, as the demographics of France are being transformed, the political elite adapts accordingly. In the eye of a politician, immigrants are neither a problem nor an opportunity for France, but essentially new voters. So the political debate about immigration mutates at the same time as the French population does.