MEDIAPART

* "Banlieue" is a difficult word to translate into English. This French word immediately brings to mind images of rioting youth, mainly of Arab and African origin, and all the social problems of an impoverished municipality that we equate with the inner city in America or "projects" in Britain. The banlieue in fact refers to the belt of towns and villages that surround a large city, such as Paris, before arriving again into the country side; (a certain distance; une lieue). Ban has several meanings but can refer to bannishment, exhile, and rejection. Perhaps "rejection" is the best word to describe the feeling that many "banlieusards" (people living in the banlieue), especially the French youth of foreign origins, feel in relation to French society in general.

Kamel the Magicien poses with kids, Clichy-sous-Bois, 9/11/11.© Thomas Haley

AC Le Feu is an association of concerned local citizens created after the social unrest and riots of 2005 in several of France's banlieues. On November 9 they launched a nationwide campagne to encourage youth living in these often difficult neighborhoods, to register to vote for the up-coming 2012 presidential elections. Several of these associations believe that there is a growing gap between political parties, right and left, and the lower working class. They believe that the politicians are ignoring them and their problems. The situation has hardly changed in the banlieues since the 2005 social revolt that rocked all of France. In recent elections, abstention from voting in the banlieue has reached record highs, 56% nationally, indicating a high level of voter apathy and disenchantment with the political process. Yet, there is tremendous creative energy in the banlieues and the desire to overcome the obstacles of prejudice that so many people here feel.

French comedian, Jamel Debbouze, encourages youth to register to vote.© Thomas Haley

Inspired by the "rock the vote" movement in the United States that was so important in getting young people to register and which was an important factor in the election of Barack Obama, AC Le Feu invited several performers, rappers and comedians, such as Jamel Debbouze, La Fouine, Black Barbie, Kamel the magician, Grand Corps Malade, Yvan Le Bolloc'h and others to Clichy-sous-Bois to impress upon the 400 some odd youth gathered there to register in order to be able to vote. "Vote! Vote for whom you want but vote...exercise your right as French citizens!" (Jamel Debbouze did not hide the fact that he had a strong penchant to vote for the ecologists.)

Historian, François Durpaire, specialist of cultural diversity, explains importance of youth vote in the election of Obama.© Thomas Haley

Following the events of 2005 and the many unkept promises of politicians, of all political colors, Mohamed Mechmache, president of AC Le Feu, decries the political classes' apparent disinterest in the plight of the citizens living in the banlieue. "The political parties are concerned about the drop in status of the middle class, but ignore the segregation suffered by the lower working class neighborhoods...either for the right with their aggressive politics of national dis-union, or for the left with their politics of "selective union". Mr. Mechmache intends that the people of the banlieues will count in the next presidential elections.

Mohamed Mechmache, President of AC Le Feu; 09/11/11© Thomas Haley