France Seeks to Deter the 'Jihadi-Lites'

The year 2015 was bookended for France by two horrible events: the attacks against the "Charlie Hebdo" magazine and a kosher supermarket on 11 January; and the attacks against the Bataclan  entertainment emporium and nearby cafés on 13 November which caused 130 deaths.

France has a  dual tradition of being a haven for foreigners, political and otherwise, on the one hand; and that of a strong central government on the other for the purpose of containing a potentially unruly country with a revolutionary tradition. This strong security apparatus is symbolized by the "Republican Security Companies," the anti-riot police created by Napoleon.

Paris, as the largest tourist destination among the world's cities, reflects the continuing attraction of the French lifestyle — the cafés, the cuisine, the bookstores, the scenery, the architecture, the museums, the nightlife, the trim women etc. France also has the largest proportion of Muslims in the population of any country in Western Europe.

Whether it was to destroy the image of the French life-style or for other reasons such as resentment against the colonial past of France, the country has become the center of attacks by radical Islam, a term that few, apart from Prime Minister Manuel Valls, would choose to use, for reasons of political correctness.

An additional reason for Muslim resentment is France's aggressive emphasis on laïcité, which translates as secularism but goes beyond, into an anti-religious stance (France is the only country in Western Europe which has banned the wearing of the Islamic headscarf (the hijab) in public places).

France is introducing a number of repressive measures, not only an extension of the emergency by three months, thus allowing house searches without a warrant during that period; and a revision of the constitution that would involve stripping the French nationality of a dual citizen connected with terrorism.

The latter provision, which has been passed by the National Assembly, must be approbved by both houses sitting togther, in order to become part of a revised constitution. This proposed amendment has caused an uproar in France, especially on the Left. For one thing, it would have the effect of creating two classes of citizens, native French persons and immigrants.

It is doubtful whether the proposed amendment would have a significant effect on the most hardline jihadsts but it could influence those tempted to join one of the terrorist groups, as it would mean not only loss of French nationality but deportation to the country of origin which might even lead to arrest.

Statements and views expressed in this commentary are solely those of the author and do not imply endorsement by Harvard University, the Harvard Kennedy School, or the Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs.