Foreigners must be forced to take French name to become citizens: Far-right figure

Julien Aubert, deputy secretary general of the right-wing Les Républicains  party founded by former president Nicolas Sarkozy, made the controversial remarks in a 50-page pamphlet titled the “Tricolour Booklet on the Islam(s) of France.”

 “Any foreigner who becomes French, or any child born here to foreign parents, should at the moment of acquiring nationality take on a second name that is French,” Britain’s Independent daily quoted him as saying.

“The best thing a foreigner can do when he arrives in a country if he wants to integrate is to fit in,” said Aubert, adding that a solid French name such as Jean or Michel is a good place to start.

Aubert, however, said his proposal was not inspired by Zemmour’s televised remarks.

Aubert was apparently echoing rhetoric previously used by French author Eric Zemmour, who has sparked anger when he told a black woman, Hapsatou Sy, who was hosting a TV program that it was a shame her parents had not given her a Christian name.

“Your name is an insult to France,” Zemmour told her.

Aubert has also called in the pamphlet that Muslim women should to be banned from wearing headscarves in public institutions such as publicly-owned companies or universities, and even in the street in certain circumstances.

France has already banned the wearing of hijab by pupils in state schools and employees in state buildings since 2004.

The country also became the first European nation to ban full-face covering for Muslim women in April 2011.

Two years ago, France introduced another controversial ban on women’s full-body swimsuits, known as "burkinis.”

The country is home to around 6 million Muslims, accordant media and officials.