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French press review 9 January 2016

Libération uncovers a secret ploy from Michel Platini to remain the head of Uefa; Le Figaro wonders why Justice Minister Christiane Taubira hasn't been sacked yet and Le Monde talks about a study on immigration in France. All that, and more, in today's French press review.

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Today's Libération has revelations about former Uefa chief Michel Platini. Earlier this week, the former French champion told newspaper l'Equipe he had dropped out of the Fifa presidency race.

According to Libé, this was a ploy to secure his place as head of Europe's top Football body, Uefa.

As you know, FIFA banned Platini after an investigation into the two million Swiss francs that former Fifa chief Sepp Blatter allegedly paid him in 2011 for work carried out a decade earlier.

Platini is still head of Uefa, but that could change soon given the current atmosphere. According to Libération, he made a pact with Uefa vice-president Gianni Infantino.

Platini pledged to support Infantino's bid for Fifa presidency, while Infantino promised, once elected, to get off the Fifa ethics comittee and to reinstate him as Uefa head.

And, says Libé, this plan could work: Platini currently has the backing of 150 Fifa federations out of 209, meaning that Infantino has a good chance to be elected.

Right wing Le Figaro wonders why Justice Minister Christiane Taubira hasn't been sacked.

I have to say it's a fair question.

It all started when Taubira announced that the government would drop its controversial proposal to strip dual nationals of their nationality if they are convicted of terrorism, writes the newspaper.

She was proven wrong when the next day, President François Hollande announced he would be going through with the measures.

And if that wasn't bad enough, Taubira reiterated this week her opposition to the measure.

Why then, wonders Le Figaro, is she still in the government? Remember Delphine Bato? She was sacked from the environment ministry for criticising her budget.

"By never sanctioning a minister who says the opposite of what the government says, the Head of State and the Prime Minister are pouring scorn on authority and give the impression of being afraid of her," says an editorial.

Keeping Taubira in the government might have to do with the fact that Hollande wants to make sure she doesn't run against him in 2017 says Le Figaro. Or that she is perceived as the last member of the left of the government..

Le Monde talks about a study that debunks cliches around immigration in France.The article focuses on a new study from the National Institute of Demographic studies on immigrants and their intergration into French society.

First interesting number: one third of the French population has some migration background, either by being the children of immigrants or by being migrants themselves.

"The 600 pages of the study tells the story of a society, which, despite its doubts, knows how to integrate," writes Le Monde.

It's really interesting to see, says the newspaper, that children of immigrants are in fact integrated: they have jobs and diplomas - and if there's more unemployement in these categories of population, it's mainly due to discrimination.

93% of them say they feel French - but does France feel the same way?

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