France's 'ethnic' minorities and the question of exclusion

One year after the riots that rocked France’s outer-city suburbs, or banlieues,1 has there been any change in the economic, social and political situation of the young residents of the banlieues? Have racial discrimination and high unemployment been tackled in these marginalized neighbourhoods? What has happened to the promises of the government to improve the life of the people of the banlieues and address their grievances? A security services report which was leaked to a French newspaper confirmed that the conditions that had caused last year’s riots are still in place. Even though a law on equal opportunities was introduced in April 2006 to ensure equal access to employment and education, the youth of the banlieues still suffer from the highest rates of unemployment and school drop-out in France.