France approved on Tuesday a new decree that changes the rules of access to French citizenship. As of July 2012, migrants who wish to naturalise will have to demonstrate knowledge of the French language, culture and history by  passing a multiple choice test. The applicants will be able to take the test free of charge.

Observers have put this change to the conditions of citizenship acquisition into the context of presidential elections to be held in April this year. A recent option poll revealed that nearly a third (31 percent) of the French “agree with the ideas of Front National” which is well known for its anti-immigrant rhetoric (hyperlink to the second article below). Claude Guéant, the French Minister of Interior  whose ministry will administer the test and who is from the same party as president Sarkozy, told the press in October 2011 that “when one is French, he has to integrate into the nationality (nationalité) and in the culture of our country, to respect its values”.