French Interior Minister Nicolas Sarkozy has softened his stance on the expulsion of illegal immigrants' children from French schools. Mr Sarkozy plans to spare about 1,200 children who faced expulsion and deportation with their families.
Since April, more than 40,000 people have signed a petition pledging to protect and house the children of immigrants to save them from expulsion. An immigration bill adopted by the lower house envisaged such expulsions.