Paris (AFP)
The boss of LREM deputies, Gilles Le Gendre, on Thursday called on the majority to "come to their senses" on the controversy over the wearing of the veil, joining the "approach" Emmanuel Macron.
"We should not treat this subject in the form in which it was treated by our colleagues, by the minister, by all of this controversy that suddenly ignited the majority. urged the MP for Paris on Radio Classique.
"The President of the Republic shows us the way, he has been extremely clear twice this week, we will join in this process," he added, adding that "this does not mean that we close the debate, on the contrary ".
Emmanuel Macron called on Wednesday not to "stigmatize" Muslims, denouncing a "fatal shortcut" between the fight against terrorism and Islam. "Let's block and do not divide us to fight first and foremost against radicalization in our society," added the head of state.
"This subject ignites the society (...) and it also causes sparks within our group which is the faithful reflection of this society," admitted Le Gendre.
"We are going to replace the controversy with a real heated debate, organized on these issues," he added.
"Our responsibility to the group, our responsibility, leaders of the state or the majority, is to make sure that this subject stops igniting society and that a debate is held but that we propose measures that , little by little, will calm things, "he insisted.
For the past several days, the majority has been covering a subject that is as flammable as it is recurring in France, revived on Friday when a member of the National Assembly (RN) has insulted a veiled mother during a meeting of the Regional Council of Bourgogne-Franche-Comté.
The boss of the deputies LREM has excluded to "transfer" the deputies Aurore Bergé or Aurélien Taché, two of the protagonists of the polemic within the majority, because "it is not like that one directs a parliamentary group", but he "spoke with them" and "they understood".
"Regarding school support, we know very well that the law allows it, and we know very well that today, it is not a concrete problem," he said. "The real subject is the fight we are already waging against communitarianism and against radicalization".
© 2019 AFP