Accused by Gérald Darmanin of maintaining “notorious links” with the Muslim Brotherhood, can Karim Benzema really lose his French nationality?
While a senator (Senator LR Valérie Boyer) asked to withdraw her French nationality if her relations with the Islamist organization are confirmed, it turns out that it is almost impossible to initiate a procedure for forfeiture of nationality for the French player. Nor even to take away his Ballon d’Or trophy.
The player’s legal representative also reacted vigorously, he who will file a complaint against the member of the government.
“The word (notorious) is poorly chosen because no one had ever heard of it”thundered Maître Hugues Vigier, lawyer for Karim Benzema, this Thursday in Apolline Matin on RMC and BFMTV. “ Karim Benzema could confirm it himself, he has no link, either remotely or directly, with the Muslim Brotherhood, it is unimaginable what was said. »
Illegal to deprive Benzema of nationality
In the extreme case where Gérald Darmanin’s accusations against Karim Benzema are confirmed, the 35-year-old could not in reality be deprived of his French passport. And for good reason, as the official website of the French administration specifies, three elements must be met to lose French nationality: having the nationality of another State, behaving like a citizen of this State, having committed contrary acts to the interests of France. Clearly, an individual cannot be stripped of his French nationality if this has the effect of rendering him stateless.
“Karim Benzema is French, he does not have dual nationality. I read somewhere that she (Senator Valérie Boyer) wrote that he was binational. He is only French and has never asked for, nor wanted to have Algerian nationality”further assured his lawyer Hugues Vigier to RMC and BFMTV. “Her mother is French. Considering the loss of nationality for native nationals, if we go back in history, it is Nazi Germany. »
Valérie Boyer also proposed to withdraw the player’s Golden Ball in 2022, but this award is in no way linked to extra-sporting but focuses solely on the players’ performances on the field.
