And, instead of becoming French citizens automatically at 18, French-born children of foreigners must now apply for the status.

The number of people granted political asylum in France has also fallen sharply, while French-born children of foreigners no longer become French citizens automatically at the age of 18.

He also promised expulsion of illegal immigrants as well as a law to restrict further the right of French-born children of immigrants to become French citizens.

Already last month, the National Assembly approved a new law making it more difficult for French-born children of foreign parents to become French citizens.

As the first wave of French-born children of immigrants came of age, they realized that the opportunities afforded them fell far short of those enjoyed by their native French friends.

And even when parents are employed, their French-born children are increasingly leaving school without much hope of a job.

Over the last two decades, Arab and African immigrants and their French-born children have been concentrated in suburbs around Paris and other French cities.

Today, with an immigrant population of 4.2 million, plus 750,000 French-born children who have an automatic right to become French citizens, France has become a multi-ethnic and multi-cultural society.

But frustration is often deepest among French-born children of Arab immigrants who have few ties to North Africa but feel rejected by French society.

Until now, these French-born children became French citizens automatically at the age of 18, while their parents could apply on their behalf before then.