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Sarkozy to unveil suburb measures Sarkozy reaches out to poor areas
(about 8 hours later)
French President Nicolas Sarkozy is set to unveil a host of new measures aimed at regenerating his country's poor and mainly immigrant suburbs. French President Nicolas Sarkozy is unveiling new measures to regenerate poor and mainly immigrant suburbs.
Mr Sarkozy is expected to focus his plans on offering better educational opportunities and creating more jobs. Mr Sarkozy is expected to propose better education and job opportunities, especially for young people.
Just over two years ago, the government was forced to call a national state of emergency after violent rioting broke out in suburbs across France. As interior minister in 2005 he was criticised for saying he would use a power hose to clean the streets of the suburbs of what he called "rabble".
Riots also broke out in November after the deaths of two teenagers near Paris. He made the comments before rioting which led the French government to declare a national state of emergency.
The youths were killed in a collision with a police car in Val d'Oise. The government at the time promised to invest heavily in the marginalised estates but many feel that, more than two years later, little has been done.
Mr Sarkozy's proposals are expected to target about 100 of France's most sensitive and difficult suburbs, known in France as "banlieues".
More than 30 French towns and cities were affected by 2005's rioting
Most of the measures will be aimed at youths, encouraging them to continue their education, helping them to find jobs and introducing policies aimed at including them in wider French society.
Rioting also broke out in November 2007 after two teenagers died in a collision with a police car in Val d'Oise, near Paris.
The initial findings of an internal police probe, which found that police were not to blame, sparked three nights of violent unrest around the capital and in Toulouse.The initial findings of an internal police probe, which found that police were not to blame, sparked three nights of violent unrest around the capital and in Toulouse.
Afterwards, Mr Sarkozy promised his government would breathe new life into the most deprived suburbs, while insisting they would hunt down the rioters. With municipal elections coming up next month, Mr Sarkozy knows how important it is to show that his right-wing Union for a Popular Movement (UMP) party is offering solutions to France's huge problem of social unrest.
Marginalised estates
It is understood that President Sarkozy's proposals will target about 100 of France's most sensitive and difficult suburbs. Have you been affected by the issues in this story? Have you lived in the French suburbs? Send us your comments using the form below.
Most of the measures will be aimed at youths, encouraging them to continue their education, helping them to find employment and introducing policies to make sure they are included in wider French society. name="say">
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Police clashed with youths on suburban streets in November 2007
As interior minister in 2005, Mr Sarkozy infuriated the young people of the banlieues by saying they should be "cleaned with a power hose" and for describing criminals as "rabble".
The comments helped fuel the riots that spread through the suburbs in November that year.
Although the government of the time promised to invest heavily in the marginalised estates, many feel two years on, that the help they need has still not come.
Last November, there was more urban violence in several suburbs near Paris, particularly in Villiers-le-Bel, when police again clashed with youths on the streets.
With municipal elections coming up next month, Mr Sarkozy knows how important it is to show that his right wing Union for a Popular Movement (UMP) party is offering solutions to France's huge problem of social unrest.