The little phrase goes badly in the 101st French department. Traveling to Reunion, the new Minister of National Education mentioned Thursday “immigration” from the neighboring island of Mayotte, suggesting that it is not part of French territory.
Visiting the Joliot Curie school in La Possession to highlight “an example of success in social diversity”, Gabriel Attal underlined that the school was “concerned by significant immigration of people of Mahoran or Comorian origin educated here “, presence which arouses, he noted, “questions with certain Reunionese families”.
This declaration provoked many reactions in Mayotte, where the population is itself confronted with very high immigration from the Comoros. Mahoran MP Estelle Youssoupha (Liot) reacted by challenging the minister on Twitter. “Mr. Attal, there is no ‘Mahorese immigration’ to Reunion. Except to consider your compatriots from the 101st department (French since 1841) as foreigners and to make politician com on our backs, ”she posted this Friday.
The deputy told Le Figaro that she had immediately received a call from the minister, who said he was “sorry for having hurt the Mahorais who he knows very well that they are not migrating because French”, according to the terms reported by the chosen one. Gabriel Attal would also have indicated that he would “quickly” plan a trip to Mayotte.
