France’s foreign trade minister is “deeply shocked” by letters sent by the United States’ embassy in Paris, warning French companies against using diversity programmes, calling it an “incursion” on French values.
“We cannot compromise on inclusion policies that push our country to progress on equality,” Foreign Trade Minister Laurent Saint-Martin told RTL radio , defending France’s policies “particularly on equality between women and men in the fight against discrimination and racism, and the promotion of diversity to help people with disabilities.”
According to the economy ministry, a few dozen French companies doing business with the US government, or looking to do so, received letters asking them to certify that they do not practice programmes to promote diversity, equity and inclusion or DEI, a target of US President Donald Trump.
Trump crackdown on anti-discrimination law hits French firms, sparking backlash
Since his inauguration in January, Trump has made eliminating DEI initiatives a priority, arguing that such programmes are themselves discriminatory – a stance that continues to fuel debate both in the US and internationally.
(with newswires)
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