French lawmakers debate Turkey's EU bid

The French Parliament will today debate Muslim-majority Turkey’s hopes of joining the European Union, a bid that has so far little real support from either the political mainstream or the French public.

Lawmakers from President Jacques Chirac’s Union for a Popular Movement (UMP) and from other parties have been pushing for a debate on Turkey’s EU aspirations before December 17. That is when EU leaders are to finalise an initial approval of membership talks.