Paris (AFP)
LREM deputy Aurélien Taché, who criticized the Minister of National Education Jean-Michel Blanquer for having considered that the veil was not "desirable" among school accompaniment, apologized Tuesday at a meeting at headquarters The Republic on the move.
At this meeting held at the initiative of party boss Stanislas Guerini, "Mr. Taché said he wanted to warn against the risk of instrumentalization of Jean-Michel Blanquer's remarks by politicians who do not share the values of the Republic in March, and in no way to question him "and" that he sincerely regrets that it could be understood as well and apologizes to the Minister, "said the presidential movement in a statement transmitted to AFP.
Mr. Blanquer had considered that the wearing of the veil was "not desirable in our society", in full debate about the wearing of ostentatious religious symbols by accompanying persons during school trips.
The deputy of Val-d'Oise had then estimated that "the words of the minister bring confusion" and deplored that the National Gathering can "recover the words of Jean-Michel Blanquer".
The statement had angered the minister, who had been upset at an executive bureau of LREM last week, leading Stanislas Guerini to seize the "mediation cell" of the movement.
"Today's meeting ends the mediation and the debate of form", said the entourage of the boss of LREM, according to which "the meeting went very well".
Coming from the left wing of the party, Mr. Taché is famous for his sometimes iconoclastic positions, especially on secularism. Last March, he caused a stir with controversial remarks, appearing to compare Islamic veil and headband.
However, the Prime Minister and the President of the Republic have since expressed their commitment not to change the law which does not prohibit the wearing of religious insignia for school counselors.
© 2019 AFP