Nationality loss for crimes blocked

Senate overturns government plans to strip nationality from people convicted of certain crimes

PLANS to strip certain criminals of their French nationality have been overturned by the Senate.

The proposal, that people naturalised as French citizens for fewer than 10 years who are convicted of murdering a person in public authority should lose their French nationality, had been approved by the National Assembly.

It was voted out by senators debating the loi immigration, intégration et nationalité.

The idea was introduced by Nicolas Sarkozy during a speech last summer, which heralded the government's closure of Roma encampments in France.

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