The killing of a priest during morning mass at a Catholic church near Rouen on July 26 has sent new shockwaves through France—a country that prides itself on its secularism, but in which religion still plays a large part in many communities. The rapid succession of attacks on French soil claimed by Islamic State (IS), from the truck…
Prominent Italian Muslim convert to Islam, Hamza Piccardo, says his 25-year old son was forced to withdraw as a conservative candidate for the upcoming June elections, because of his religion. “My son has been discriminated against because he is a Muslim,” said Hamza, about his son Gabriele Piccardo. He added: “Setting aside the affection I…
35-year old Fatima Elatik was appointed leader of Amsterdam’s district council of Zeeberg, and is the first political administrator to wear a headscarf at her job. Elatik, born in Amsterdam, of a Moroccan family background, is a member of the Labor party. Elatik however, has stated that she does not wanted to be identified as…
Ahmed Aboutaleb, the first mayor in the Netherlands of Moroccan origin, has officially been inaugurated. 47-year old Aboutaleb, former Labour deputy minister of social affairs, was officially inaugurated as mayor of Rotterdam on the first Monday of 2009. Rotterdam’s major political issues include issues of immigration and crime, but Aboutaleb also faces practical matters like…
A convert to Islam is an election victory away from becoming just the second Muslim elected to congress. Andre Carson, a political newcomer, is the Democratic nominee in a March 11th special election to succeed his late grandmother, representing Indiana’s 7th district. If Carson wins the district, he would join Keith Ellison as the only…
