<p>The French lower house of parliament on Thursday approved a law banning discrimination based on a person's accent, calling the practice "a form of racism".</p>.<p>The text, overwhelmingly adopted by 98 votes to 3, adds accents to the list of causes of actionable discrimination, along with racism, sexism and discrimination against the disabled.</p>.<p>The maximum penalty proposed in the new legislation is three years' imprisonment and a fine of 45,000 euros.</p>.<p>The law, proposed by centre-right deputy Christophe Euzet, was the subject of animated debate in the house, despite the overwhelming vote.</p>.<p>"At a time when the 'visible' minorities benefit from the legitimate attention of public authorities, the 'audible' minorities are the main forgotten people of the social contract based on equality," Euzet argued.</p>.<p>Maina Sage, deputy for French Polynesia, spoke of the difficulties that can be encountered by people, like her, speaking with an accent from outside the French mainland.</p>.<p>Patricia Miralles, the daughter of North Africans, spoke of the "mockery" that she encountered in her younger days over her Algerian accent, which she briefly reprised in the parliamentary chamber.</p>.<p>Other members of parliament denounced the fact that too many broadcasters with a strong accent get pigeonholed into reporting on rugby or reading the weather bulletin.</p>.<p>On the other hand, Jean Lassalle, of the opposition Libertes et territoires party which includes Corsican nationalists, voted against the text.</p>.<p>"I'm not asking for charity, I'm not demanding to be protected because I am who I am," he said in his strong southwest France accent.</p>.<p>Justice Minister Eric Dupond-Moretti, a former lawyer, said he was "very convinced" about the need for the new law.</p>.<p>Last month Jean-Luc Melenchon, leader of the far-left France Insoumise (France Unbowed) movement, was caught on camera being rude to a journalist with a southern accent who asked him a question at the National Assembly.</p>.<p>"Can someone ask me a question in French? And (make it) a bit more understandable...," Melenchon said then, addressing a group of reporters in a video clip which was widely circulated on social media.</p>
<p>The French lower house of parliament on Thursday approved a law banning discrimination based on a person's accent, calling the practice "a form of racism".</p>.<p>The text, overwhelmingly adopted by 98 votes to 3, adds accents to the list of causes of actionable discrimination, along with racism, sexism and discrimination against the disabled.</p>.<p>The maximum penalty proposed in the new legislation is three years' imprisonment and a fine of 45,000 euros.</p>.<p>The law, proposed by centre-right deputy Christophe Euzet, was the subject of animated debate in the house, despite the overwhelming vote.</p>.<p>"At a time when the 'visible' minorities benefit from the legitimate attention of public authorities, the 'audible' minorities are the main forgotten people of the social contract based on equality," Euzet argued.</p>.<p>Maina Sage, deputy for French Polynesia, spoke of the difficulties that can be encountered by people, like her, speaking with an accent from outside the French mainland.</p>.<p>Patricia Miralles, the daughter of North Africans, spoke of the "mockery" that she encountered in her younger days over her Algerian accent, which she briefly reprised in the parliamentary chamber.</p>.<p>Other members of parliament denounced the fact that too many broadcasters with a strong accent get pigeonholed into reporting on rugby or reading the weather bulletin.</p>.<p>On the other hand, Jean Lassalle, of the opposition Libertes et territoires party which includes Corsican nationalists, voted against the text.</p>.<p>"I'm not asking for charity, I'm not demanding to be protected because I am who I am," he said in his strong southwest France accent.</p>.<p>Justice Minister Eric Dupond-Moretti, a former lawyer, said he was "very convinced" about the need for the new law.</p>.<p>Last month Jean-Luc Melenchon, leader of the far-left France Insoumise (France Unbowed) movement, was caught on camera being rude to a journalist with a southern accent who asked him a question at the National Assembly.</p>.<p>"Can someone ask me a question in French? And (make it) a bit more understandable...," Melenchon said then, addressing a group of reporters in a video clip which was widely circulated on social media.</p>