Jacques Chirac

Addressing the nation Nov. 14 for the first time since the unrest broke out last month, Chirac announced the creation of national volunteer corps to provide job training for 50,000 youths by 2007. The president said he would meet business and labor leaders to discuss work-force diversity and more jobs for youths from tough neighborhoods.

"We can build nothing lasting unless we fight this poison for society that is discrimination," Chirac said in a televised speech.

The number of cars burned continued to drop and there were no overnight clashes between youths and riot police, said National Police Chief Michel Gaudin.

The numbers have fallen steadily since vandals burned 1,408 vehicles across France in one night on Nov. 6 at the peak of the violence.

The far right, which blames French ills on immigration, has sought to capitalize on the unrest. At a rally Nov. 14 that drew about 300 supporters, National Front leader Jean-Marie Le Pen, who faced off with Chirac in the 2002 election, castigated immigration policy.

"We let in 10 million foreigners over 30 years -- it's wild insanity. No country can handle that invasion," Le Pen said.

The Japan Times Weekly: Nov. 19, 2005
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