France
Veiled Electoral Candidate not Welcome on French Presidential Majority List
The departmental elections ( one of the local levels of state administration ) will take place in the summer of 2021. Two local candidates of the presidential majority have faced online backlash after a member of the extreme-right party Rassemblement National (RN) vehemently criticized the presence of a veiled woman as second substitute on the…
Towards the Ban of the Veil for French Women under 18?
Early April, the French Senate started to discuss the Bill aiming at reinforcing the Republican principles (a novlangue expression to talk about the Bill against “separatism”). In the French legislative system, two chambers are in charge : first the National Assembly, then the Senate that can propose amendments, and third a shared reading of the…
The potential ban of halal chicken in France : a misinterpretation by some imams and a generational gap between Muslims?
Last week in a joined statement by – the Great Mosques of Paris, Evry and Lyon – announced that it would not be possible anymore to get halal poultry in France. They condemned the French government for planning to ban halal slaughtering by the summer 2021. These three mosques historically benefit from a legal agreement to certify…
Islamo-leftism versus Islamophobia : The ideological polarization of French Academia
After the attacks on “Islamo-leftism” in French University , comes the fight against Islamophobic scholars. On March 4 2021, two professors of the Political Science Institute of Grenoble were targeted by accusations of “Islamophobia” and “fascism” . The professors’ names were anonymously posted at the main entrance of the Institute with the slogans “fascists are…
“Islamo-leftism”, Culture War and Academic Freedom: It’s All about Islam
On February the 14th, Frédérique Vidal, the French Minister for Higher Education made controversial declarations on “Islamo-leftism” – Islamo-gauchisme – and its negative influence on Universities during a TV interview. She even stated that French University (including academics and some students organisations) could deliberately promote it. A few days later, during a debate in the Assemblée Nationale, Vidal…