Members of the Agir group want discrimination on accent to be recognized by law.
A bill to this effect, carried by Christophe Euzet, will be studied in the National Assembly on November 26.
It aims to ensure that 'audible minorities' no longer suffer from discrimination, particularly in hiring.
Emphasis discrimination could become a new and punishable ground for prosecution.
The law already punishes discrimination based on a wide variety of grounds, but a bill wants to add emphasis as a ground.
It would indeed be likely to constitute an obstacle, in particular to employment, for "audible minorities".
The measure supported by the deputy for Hérault Christophe Euzet was validated by the Laws Commission of the National Assembly on Wednesday.
Add the word "accent" to the existing law
"At a time when 'visible' minorities benefit from the legitimate concern of the public authorities, 'audible' minorities are the big forgotten people in the social contract based on equality", pleads Christophe Euzet in his explanatory memorandum.
The proposal wants to promote "the diversity of pronunciation of the French language", by "prohibiting the 'discrimination by accent' which one observes factually in the functions implying, in particular, a public expression".
This proposal therefore aims to add a single word, "the accent", to the long list of causes of discrimination sanctioned by the Penal Code as well as the Labor Code: origin, sex, sexual orientation, family status, disability, pregnancy, surname, political opinion, trade union membership, religious belief etc.
Christophe Euzet considers "essential" in this "period of doubt as to the cohesion of the territories which found the Nation, to send a strong sign of recognition, by promoting the revaluation of 'atypical' pronunciations".
First reading on November 26
"Our nation, which is often pleased with the great diversity of its terroirs, therefore, paradoxically, is sorry for the smooth uniformity of its public expression", laments the elected native of Perpignan and the southern accent.
"The accents have no right of the city on radio and television channels, in the political world and at the head of major functions, administrations or French public companies", assures the deputy.
This proposal is part of texts that the Agir group, allied to the majority, will present as part of its "niche", a niche reserved for groups to promote their own proposals or resolutions.
It will be studied at first reading on November 26.