PARIS–French President Francois Hollande's call for convicted French-born terrorists to lose their citizenship if they have a second nationality has triggered uproar among those who see him adopting right-wing ideas that recall dark moments in France's history.

Ever since the French Revolution in the late 1700s, "le droit du sol" ("the right of the soil") has been a fundamental principle, giving everyone born in the country the right to citizenship.

But in the aftermath of November's jihadist attacks in Paris, Hollande announced to an extraordinary session of both houses of parliament that he would seek changes to the constitution so that dual nationals -- even those born in France -- could be stripped of their French passport.

The idea has huge support from a jittery nation, with nearly 90 percent backing the measure in a poll for BFM TV.

Hollande's Socialist government has staunchly defended the move with Prime Minister Manuel Valls saying the measure was already used in several Western countries including Britain, Canada and the Netherlands.

"Removing French nationality from those who blindly kill other French in the name of an ideology of terror is a strong symbolic act against those who have excluded themselves from the national community," Valls wrote on Facebook.

But experts say the measure has little chance of deterring jihadists who are often willing to give up their lives, let alone their passports. (AFP)