French Presidential candidates chasing after the Jewish vote
are prepared to eat a kosher meal and even Socialist
candidate Segolene Royal dropped by at last week's annual
CRIF dinner for French government leaders.
Right-wing candidate Nicolas Sarkozy, who currently serves as
Interior Minister, sat beside Chief Rabbi Yosef Sitruk and
CRIF Chairman Roger Cukierman. "I am a longtime guest at this
event and others for the Jews. I did not come because of the
elections and in any event France does not have a Jewish,
black or Catholic vote," Sarkozy told reporters as they
descended on Royal.
The organizers did not anticipate Segolene Royal's arrival
after she had announced that she had left the task of
attending the event to party leaders, hinting that she does
not take part in communal gatherings, but yet another serious
blunder on her part was averted at the last moment. According
to Le Monde only "friendly pressure" by left-wing Jews
and the Socialist Party persuaded her that the public would
view her absence during the election campaign as another
mistake.
Sarkozy, Prime Minister Dominique de Villepin and 14 of his
ministers stayed until the end of the speeches. Forty
National Assembly delegates — an unusually heavy
turnout — were also on hand.
"Nicolas Sarkozy came to show his dedication to the battle
against antisemitism he is waging as interior minister," said
Pierre Lellouche, a member of parliament and Sarkozy's
foreign policy advisor. French Jews perceive Sarkozy as the
figure who forced the police to stop overlooking antisemitism
in the suburbs and to launch a battle against Arab gangs.
At police stations officers are starting to believe Jews who
issue complaints. Sarkozy has made efforts to meet in his
office with every Jew who suffered an attack. Assailants have
been arrested and the attacks have stopped almost completely
during the past year.
"Sarkozy is the candidate for the Jews," acknowledged Jewish
Students Association Chairman Benjamin Avital.
