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French Back Stripping Dual Citizens’ Nationality in Terror Cases


A poll indicates French people overwhelmingly support a decision by French President Francois Hollande’s government to strip dual citizens of their French nationality in terrorism cases. He’s shown at the Elysee Palace in Paris, Dec. 23, 2015.
A poll indicates French people overwhelmingly support a decision by French President Francois Hollande’s government to strip dual citizens of their French nationality in terrorism cases. He’s shown at the Elysee Palace in Paris, Dec. 23, 2015.

Plans to strip dual citizens of their French nationality in terrorism cases have strong popular support, a poll showed on Tuesday after the government said it would pursue the measure despite fierce left-wing criticism.

President Francois Hollande announced the plan after Islamist gunmen and suicide bombers killed 130 people in the November 13 attacks in Paris.

His decision has sparked much controversy within the ruling Socialist party. Justice Minister Christiane Taubira and Hollande's former Prime Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault publicly criticized it.

The poll conducted by research firm Elabe for BFM-TV showed that 86 percent of those surveyed favored the plan, with 67 percent saying it did not contradict left-wing values.

Currently, only naturalized citizens can be stripped of their French citizenship. Extending the measure to all dual nationals has divided politicians on both the left and right.

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    Reuters

    Reuters is a news agency founded in 1851 and owned by the Thomson Reuters Corporation based in Toronto, Canada. One of the world's largest wire services, it provides financial news as well as international coverage in over 16 languages to more than 1000 newspapers and 750 broadcasters around the globe.

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