Les Grands Frères

During her (apparently premeditated) meltdown in front of the National Assembly, Rachida Dati referred ominously to la politique des grands frères allegedly instituted by the Left to deal with les banlieues. She didn't explain exactly what she meant by this phrase, although it was possible to divine from her remarks that it referred to a devolution of authority from the state to certain males living in the troubled neighborhoods. Ultimately, she implied, they abused this authority to victimize others, especially women, among whom she included herself.

Rue89 has published an article explaining the use of the phrase and the reality of the approach, which was "neither left nor right," according to the author, but rather a policy implemented by mayors desperate to find some way to reach people in their unsettled quarters. She cites the experience of Serge Dassault in Corbeil. No one would accuse Dassault of belonging to the Left.