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Thursday, March 28, 2024

Christiane Taubira resigns as Justice Minister

christianeaJacob Davis

CSMS Magazine

Paris, France—The highest black woman in the François Hollande’s “socialist” government called it quit yesterday. She said she’s had enough with the increasing anti-immigrant sentiment spreading across France in the aftermath of the terrorist attack that killed scores of innocent civilians. Christiane, who is an outspoken proponent of social justice, has denounced in many occasions the growing xenophobia in French cities against marginalized immigrants, especially darker skinned youths of African and Caribbean origins. To couple with the rise of the rightwing National Front (FN by it French acronym,) Hollande has been pushing the social democrats to take a more rigid approach toward anything deemed anti-French.

France has been under a state of emergency since the night of the Paris attacks. It allows suspects to be placed under house arrest and for meetings or demonstrations to be banned. A high court ruled on Wednesday that the state of emergency can continue. A human rights group had challenged plans for its extension, but the judge said “imminent danger” had not gone away. The ruling was made in the Council of State, France’s highest administrative court.

Christiane Taubira announced her resignation shortly before anti-terrorism proposals that she disagreed with went before parliament. If passed, the laws would mean that people who are convicted of terrorism offences are stripped of citizenship.

While the French Prime Minister stood by her side, Taubira sounded emphatic: “I left the government over a major political disagreement,” she said. Her ebony face was beamed with pride as Manuel Valls looked on. And she went on to say, “I am choosing to be true to myself, to my commitments, my battles and my relationships with other people.” As she was leaving yesterday, Christiane warned that hawkish positions like this one is a dangerous precedent.

The departure of Christiane sent La Gauche Française soul searching. She was replaced by Jean-Jacques Urvoas. Christiane believes if one wants to remain true to himself/herself as a socialist, there is a line that should never be crossed. She then twitted in French, “Parfois, resister c’est rester, parfois resister c’est partir. Par fidélité à soi, à nous. Pour le dernier mot à l’éthique et au droit.” Sometimes, to resist means to stay, sometimes to resist means to leave. Because of my fidelity towards others, towards us. For upholding the code of ethics and the rule of law.  

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