Ethnic statistics: the French government reopens the debate

Text by: Philippe Lecaplain

The French government spokesperson suggests reopening the debate around ethnic statistics "in a peaceful and constructive manner". In a column published this Saturday by the newspaper Le Monde, Sibeth Ndiaye said that we must "forcefully return to the tools to combat racial discrimination". This position reignites a recurring debate in France.

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After recalling that, coming from Senegal, she arrived in France when she was 16 years old and that she “  experienced ordinary racism  ”, Sibeth Ndiaye writes  : “  We have made universalism the foundation of our laws; but, not being able to measure and look at reality as it is, we let fantasies flourish  ”. And to explain: "  There is something there that we must urgently get hold of again under penalty of giving reason to those who divert its meaning and shamelessly exploit its weaknesses  ".

Unlike the Anglo-Saxon countries, France prohibits targeted policies, quotas or ethnic statistics. It wants to treat citizens equally, as it is written in article 1 of the Constitution: the Republic "  ensures equality before the law of all citizens without distinction of origin, race or religion  ". Otherwise, the penal code provides for five years imprisonment and a fine of 300,000 euros.

There is therefore no official data relating to denominational affiliation. Hence, for example, the imprecision of the number of Muslims, whose assessment falls within a wide range, from two to ten million when, President of the French Council of Muslim worship, Dalil Boubakeur, evoked, a figure of seven million, without saying where he got it from.

A subject that divides

But the question continues to divide researchers, elected officials and associations. The use of ethnic statistics is combated by some in the name of republican unity, who fear stigmatization and a weakening of French social cohesion. However, Sibeth Ndiaye also explains that from now on, "  the tools to fight racial discrimination should not be confused with the means to fight social discrimination  ". " Exactly ! Responds the proponents of ethnic knowledge that are social scientists. A statistic is above all a knowledge tool which is essential for measuring the extent of discrimination and making it possible to act politically against it.

This question on ethnic statistics is not new. So Prime Minister, Manuel Valls had revived it in 2015 but François Hollande had been reluctant. The candidate Macron said he was "  pragmatic in favor of increasing testing, the penal response, and the" name and shame "  " for companies practicing discrimination in hiring . President Macron declared to the Council of Ministers last Wednesday that racism is a disease that affects all of our society and no doubt he will return to it in his speech on Sunday evening.

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