La France Insoumise has canceled an “iftar” evening (breaking the Ramadan fast) scheduled for Friday in a working-class district of Villeurbanne (Rhône), citing “semantic clumsiness” after criticism from its local left-wing allies, reports AFP with LFI.

The "Iftar Pop'" event announced on the Popular Union's Facebook page and in leaflets offered "a shared meal after breaking the fast" at 8.30 p.m. in the Tonkin park "to talk about the challenges of the neighborhood and national news", according to Gaëtan Constant, one of the LFI deputies.

The evening was finally canceled, in “consultation with the Popular Union at the national level, for fear of seeing the far right disembark,” said the deputy.

The mayor of Villeurbanne refuses to mix politics and religion

In this city where they are allies of the PS mayor Cédric Van Styvendael and where Jean-Luc Mélenchon won 37.8% in the first round of the presidential election, the elected LFI intended "just to organize a meal with the inhabitants where we would have spoken policy", according to Gaëtan Constant, one of the LFI deputies.

The announcement of this "Iftar Pop'" had sparked criticism from the socialist mayor of Villeurbanne and the PRG.

“Under no circumstances can a religious moment be used for a political event.

There is a mixture of genres that I cannot endorse, ”pointed out Cédric Van Styvendael in

Le Progrès

.

The PRG had for its part judged “irresponsible to play with secularism” by worrying in a press release about the “community practices” of the Popular Union and LFI.

Naming this evening "Iftar Pop'" is "a semantic awkwardness", admitted this Friday Mr. Constant.

“There is no connection between LFI and religion.

And we have always defended secularism within the municipal council, on the same line as our partners, ”he insisted.

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  • Company

  • Ramadan

  • La France Insoumise (LFI)

  • Jean-Luc Melenchon

  • Villeurbanne

  • Lyons

  • Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes