Growing criticism of Roma repatriation
The French government began tearing down the camps last month in a crime crackdown targeting immigrants. More than 200 Roma have been sent back to Romania in recent days. But the crackdown, which prompted rights groups and opposition parties to call a national protest for next week, has also angered many on the French Right.
"This is a shameful policy. It's an electoral strategy. This will contribute nothing to the security of French people," said former prime minister Dominique de Villepin yesterday, a rival of Mr Sarkozy's who recently split from the ruling UMP party.
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Hide Ad"Its aim is to drive a wedge between the Right and Left and I protest because the French Right is not like this," he said.
The far-right National Front and the opposition Socialist party have also berated what they called a political manoeuvre.