Paris (AFP)

The leader of the presidential party Stanislas Guerini said he was "convinced" that the majority share a "common line" on the subject of secularism, while saying that we should not "fear" the "nuances of appreciation", in an interview Saturday at Le Figaro.

"The debate we have had in recent days has not been up to the challenges," said the delegate general of the Republic in motion, while the majority has divided on the wearing of the veil, and beyond on secularism. The question was revived after a member of the National Assembly (RN) took part in a veiled mother in full session of the Regional Council of Burgundy-Franche-Comté.

"I am convinced that, on this subject (of secularism), the majority has a common line around two principles: the freedom to believe or not to believe and the principle of neutrality of the State and public services", Guerini says. "As for the nuances of appreciation, do not fear them," he said.

To "bring closer" these sensibilities, he proposes to members of LREM a "working group on the fight against communitarianism, which requires quick responses, in connection with our local elected representatives". The boss of LREM then plans "a job, by early next year, to define our common vision of secularism".

He himself defends a "at the same time" or "a vision of secularism based on the 1905 law that respects the freedom to believe and not to believe, religions, and at the same time a fight without concessions against communitarianism ".

While Emmanuel Macron called on Wednesday not to "stigmatize" Muslims, Guerini considers that "it is good that the president take a step back, put order in the debate." "We will have to advance on the issue of worship, but not in haste," he insists.

The first of the "walkers" repeats the position formulated Tuesday by the Prime Minister Edouard Philippe, who does not wish "to make a law on the accompanying school". "I am not in favor of amending the current law This debate has been decided, it is often instrumentalized, I am for the respect of a strong principle: the state is secular and not the society", develops Mr. Guerini.

As the Minister of Education Jean-Michel Blanquer, according to which the veil "is not desirable in our society", the number one LREM notes that "taken from their context, these are not the words that (he ) will use (t) ".

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