The Minister of the Interior Christophe Castaner has set as "priority mission" to the prefects, meeting in Place Beauvau seminar, to "fight Islamism and communitarianism". He advocates for this the closure of places where "we fight the Republic", as has been done in fifteen neighborhoods said sensitive.

Interior Minister Christophe Castaner on Thursday urged the prefects to "fight Islamism and communitarianism" which "are serious attacks on the republican pact", making this goal a "priority mission". Before the prefects gathered in the Place Beauvau seminar, Christophe Castaner unveiled the outlines of a circular aimed at "identifying and fighting against the attacks on the Republic", which constitute "Islamism and communitarianism".

"A counterproject of society"

"The time is no longer for modesty and false pretenses," he said, arguing that "Islamism was an anti-democratic, anti-republican political project, a counter-project of society." "Islamism is the worst enemy of Islam, he insisted, it has nothing to do with religion, it deviates." "I can not accept neighborhoods where we fight the Republic," added the minister. Christophe Castaner gave as an example the action undertaken since February 2018 in about fifteen so-called sensitive neighborhoods, where "133 drinking places" were closed, as well as "13 places of worship", "4 schools", and "9 establishments at the end of 1,030 surveys. "The idea is to extend this type of action to the entire territory.

"Give the taste of the Republic"

The minister asked the prefects to set up a "departmental cell" dedicated to this action, to work with "the judicial authority" with "determination", and to undertake with the National Education "a follow-up of the deschooling to fight the school avoidance strategy ". "It is out of the question to leave some of our youth in obscurantism," said Christophe Castaner. He also asked the prefects "a demanding republican speech", to associate "local elected officials", and to implement awareness campaigns and "to ensure everywhere the social mix". "We must give everywhere the taste of the Republic," he said, calling them to "claim a Republic of combat, proud of its motto".