French rightwing groups who mobilised against same-sex marriage have threatened further social unrest to protest against the promotion of Najat Vallaud-Belkacem, an outspoken proponent of gender equality, to the post of education minister in the new government unveiled on Tuesday, reports The Guardian.
"I'm horrified," said Ludovine de la Rochère, the leader of the Manif Pour Tous, which staged mass demonstrations as the government struggled to push through the landmark legislation adopted in May 2013. She described the appointment of Vallaud-Belkacem, who was closely associated with the law, as a "provocation" and urged opponents of the minister to join a protest on 5 October.
Vallaud-Belkacem, who was minister for women's rights, youth and sport before becoming the first woman to take charge of the education portfolio, became a hate figure for the right when she backed an experimental reform introduced into 275 primary schools last year aimed at overcoming gender stereotyping. The minister was dubbed "Khmer Rose" by the rightwing Le Figaro, and was accused of importing the controversial gender theory from the US.
Vallaud-Belkacem, 36, told France Info radio that "pointless polemics" would have no place in her ministry and that she was "committed to the equality of boys and girls more than anything else."
Meanwhile the left wing of the Socialist party was equally vocal about the government's fiercely pro-market course symbolised by the appointment of a former Rothschild's banker, Emmanuel Macron, as economy minister. Three leftwing rebels, including economy minister Arnaud Montebourg, were purged from the cabinet on Tuesday by the prime minister, Manuel Valls.
Read more of this report from The Guardian.
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