French Riots: 71% of French Back Reduction in Immigration, 78% Want Financial Sanctions on Rioters’ Parents

Following a week of rioting and looting across several French cities, the majority of French citizens want stricter migration controls and sanctions against the families of those who participated in the vandalism, a poll conducted by Odoxa-Backbone Consulting for Le Figaro newspaper revealed.

Although the French government has claimed that the rioting had nothing to do with immigration, a point widely mocked, 71 percent of those polled say they want a reduction in migratory flows in response to the riots. A majority also supported two proposals put forward by the right-wing Les Républicains party and the National Rally: the abolition of the “excuse of minors” (78 percent) and an introduction of “financial sanctions” against the parents of delinquents (77 percent).

A whopping 75 percent of respondents said for those rioters convicted of crimes should have their French citizenship stripped if they are dual nationals.

Some 59 percent of respondents are calling for a tougher immigration bill this autumn. They see recent events as “the consequence of the failings of our migration policy.” This contrasts with Interior Minister Gérald Darmanin’s statement that “there were a lot of Kévins and Mattéos” among those arrested, who were “90 percent French.” This led to Darmanin claiming that “the issue today is young delinquents, not foreigners.”

However, as has been noted numerous times, many of those arrested were second- and third-generation migrants, and much of the video captured of the rioting showed that people of non-European ancestry were participating in the majority of looting incidents and violence caught on film.

The survey found that while popular support for the forces of law and order remains high (64 percent), faith in the French government is dwindling — only 27 percent of respondents considered the government’s response to the crisis to be either good or adequate. On the contrary, the French are expecting tougher measures to be introduced from the government, particularly on immigration.

In its own analysis of the polling data, Odoxa identified the main sentiments of the French population towards the riots as confusion (77 percent), anger (84 percent), and fear for the future of the country (89 percent).