http://www.euractiv.com/en/future-eu/european-far-right-defends-sarkozy-s-roma-policy-news-497414Lawmakers from the far-right were the only ones to defend French President Nicolas Sarkozy's tough policies towards the Roma during a debate in the European Parliament yesterday (2 September).
A discussion on France's Roma expulsions, held in the Parliament's committee on civil liberties, justice and home affairs (LIBE), saw the European far-right take the floor in defence of Sarkozy.
Only Dutch Freedom Party (
of Geert Wilders fame) member Daniël van der Stroep and Philip Claeys of the Flemish Vlaams Belang (
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vlaams_Belang - far right, anti-immigration), both non-attached, spoke in favour of the expulsions. Both said they knew very little about what was going on between the Roma and the French authorities, but insisted that any European country should be free to expulse not only Roma, but foreigners in general.