{{France’s Interior Minister Manuel Valls has sowed discord at the heart of the Socialist-led French government after making controversial comments about the country\u2019s immigration policy and its large Muslim population.}}<\/p>\n
During a closed-door ministerial meeting on Monday, Valls, who is in charge of French police, suggested that in ten years France\u2019s immigration system would need fundamental reforms to tackle the influx of foreigners, especially from Africa.<\/p>\n
In particular, he questioned whether the country would be able to maintain its policy of regrouping family members of immigrants who obtain legal residency.<\/p>\n
Later in the meeting, he was quoted as saying it would be up to France to prove that Islam was compatible with democracy.<\/p>\n
The comments were leaked to dailies Lib\u00e9ration and Le Parisien by other ministers who, while wishing to remain anonymous, admitted feeling \u201coutraged\u201d by what they had heard.<\/p>\n
Following the leaks, Valls and other members of the cabinet were forced to react publicly on Tuesday.<\/p>\n
Sounding annoyed that his comments had been leaked to the press, Valls told French RMC radio that it was necessary to \u201crebuild a relationship with Africa, in particular over the issue of immigration.\u201d<\/p>\n
But Social Affairs Minister Marisol Touraine disagreed on France 2 television.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe must remember that we are working within a legal framework that must be upheld,\u201d she said. \u201cIn my view, calling family reunification into question does not help that framework.\u201d<\/p>\n
Separately, Finance Minister Pierre Moscovici defended Valls over his comments on Islam, saying they were misrepresented.<\/p>\n
\u201cSome are saying that [Valls] was questioning if Islam was compatible with our democracy. The opposite is true. He was saying, \u2018We will show the world that Islam is compatible with our democracy\u2019.\u201d<\/p>\n
Adding fuel to the fire<\/p>\n
Whether or not Valls\u2019s words were taken out of context, they have reinforced his image as a Socialist with a right-wing bent.<\/p>\n
Some have even nicknamed him \u201cthe Nicolas Sarkozy of the left\u201d in reference to the tough-on-immigration former president.<\/p>\n
Last weekend, hard left-wing leader Jean-Luc M\u00e9lenchon claimed Valls had been \u201ccontaminated\u201d by far-right, anti-immigration leader Marine Le Pen, in reference to the minister\u2019s pronouncement that the government should debate banning Muslim veils in universities.<\/p>\n
However, the recurring controversial statements appear to be working in Valls\u2019s favour.<\/p>\n
\u201cHis popularity has grown over the summer because the subjects he has focused on are widely popular among French people,\u201d J\u00e9r\u00f4me Fourquet, the director of public opinion studies at French pollster Ifop, told FRANCE 24.<\/p>\n
With an approval rating hovering over 60%, Valls, who was born in Spain and became a French citizen at age 20, is currently the most popular French minister, according to a recent Ifop study.<\/p>\n
The number of immigrants in France has remained relatively stable over the past ten years. Immigrants represented 5.6% of the population in 2003 and 5.8% in 2010, the last year for which figures are available, according to the Insee national demographics institution.<\/p>\n
France is also home to the largest Muslim population in Europe, estimated at close to five million people, or 8% of the total population.<\/p>\n
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