Indicator history

French law defines and prohibits discrimination on the ground of ethnic or racial origin.  There is no definition of racial discrimination in specific Codes, but there is a general definition of discriminantion including racial discrimination in the Law of May 27, 2008 containing various provisions for adaptation to Community law. The first article of the French Constitution of 4 October 1958 establishes that : " France ensures the equality before the law of all citizens, without discrimination of origin, race or religion". The second reference to the concept of racial discrimination is contained in the Preamble of the Constitution of 27 October 1946 which itself constitutes the Preamble of the Constitution of 1958: "...the people of France proclaim anew that each human being, without distinction of race...possesses sacred and inalienable rights". The Criminal Code provide a general definition of discrimination (Art.225-1), which includes the discrimination on the basis of race and ethnic origin, and specifies the cases in which it is punishable (Art.225-2). The Labour Code, the Law on the freedom of the press also prohibit the discrimination on the basis of race.