Sailing: "The law says things clearly," says Cazeneuve

Paris (AFP)

Former Socialist Interior Minister Bernard Cazeneuve urged Saturday to "not instrumentalize" the subject of wearing the veil because "the law says things clearly", regretting "the feeling of confusion" given by the debate within of the government.

After several days of controversy around a schoolmate mother arrested by a member of the National Assembly in a regional council, he also called on Europe 1 Muslims "respectful of the principles of the Republic", and who are "in shame" those who "reveal their religion", to "make their voices heard".

At the address of the executive, the former minister in charge of the cults recalled the need for a "constant dialogue" with the Muslims so that "there is no ambiguity on the part of those who are at the head of the state on the strategy which is theirs ".

If Emmanuel Macron "is right" to want the French to make "bloc" against Islamist radicalization, this is only possible "if there is clarity on the values": "it is not necessary that within the government there are debates on the issue of secularism that give the feeling of confusion, "said Mr. Cazeneuve, while the government has been divided on this topic in recent days.

With the 2004 texts banning the wearing of the veil at school, "where we learn", and the 2010 ban on the wearing of the full veil, "the law says very clearly; There is no need to make controversies, "said Cazeneuve, calling for the implementation" rigorously inside the Republic. "

"We must not exploit this issue to make it a subject of divisions, because secularism is not a subject of divisions, it is a value of gathering", he argued, saying to be " in the camp of those who are resolutely secular and do not intend to turn secularism against a particular religion ".

He called for "not having the trembling hand" in the face of "representatives of the Muslim religion who are revealing it". But also criticized "political actors (...) who preempt the theme of secularism to turn against the Muslims and ensure, under the guise of denouncing Islamism, that French society is fracturing."

"If we are resolutely republican and secular we must avoid falling into these traps," he concluded.

© 2019 AFP