21.02.2014 The French mayoral elections and the national Rroma policy

Nunès (2014) takes the upcoming mayoral elections as an opportunity to reflect on the role of Rroma and of the French Rroma-policy in the election campaign. The UMP is said to cover up sensitive issues such as Rroma and to even support the controversial mayor Luc Jousse in his re-election. Jousse had announced in December 2013 during a press conference that it was a pity to call the fire department too early in case of fire in a Rroma camp. For this tasteless, racist statement he was harshly criticized. He was threatened with exclusion from the UMP. Even Gilles Bourdouleix, who had stated during a confrontation with Rroma in July 2013, that maybe Hitler did not kill enough Rroma, doesn’t have to worry about any consequences for his re-election, apart from a fine of 3000 Euros. This is very worrying indeed.