They create primarily a law-and-order problem, evoking the rioting that gripped the troubled suburbs of French cities for weeks last fall.

Through his work he gets acquainted with many of the children and young adolescents, some of which come from Stockholm's more troubled suburbs.

Nonetheless, there was no repetition of the orgy of unrest that gripped the country's troubled multiracial and multiethnic suburbs in late 2005.

The images of police officers in riot gear in France's troubled suburbs were reminiscent of the wave of unrest that swept the country almost a year ago.

Cars are burned and garbage is thrown out of windows in the troubled gritty suburbs.

A quarter of those under 25 are jobless; that figure surpasses 40 percent in the troubled suburbs.

Little has improved in the country's troubled suburbs since then.

Jean-Marie Le Pen, the far-right presidential candidate, ventured into potentially hostile terrain on Friday, making a surprise visit to a troubled, multiethnic suburb of Paris.

His platform promotes job formation, educational standards, improved conditions in the troubled suburbs, reduced government spending, a balanced budget and a stronger European Union, with France as its de facto leader.

In addition, Mr. Sarkozy is unpopular, even hated, in some of the troubled suburbs, and the police in Paris were poised for demonstrations against him.