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The new president of the French Council for Muslim Worship (CFCM) Mohammed Moussaouil during a rally, at the Grande Mosquée de Paris, March 22, 2019. KENZO TRIBOUILLARD / AFP

Unsurprisingly, Mohammed Moussaoui was elected, this Sunday, January 19, president of the French Council of the Muslim religion (CFCM). Already at the head of the body from 2008 to 2013, he had no opponent since the withdrawal of Chems-Eddine Hafiz on Saturday. Also president of the Union of French Mosques (UMF), Mohammed Moussaoui plans to reform the CFCM in several ways.

First project for Mohammed Moussaoui: the fight against radicalization. He announced it as soon as elected, he will set up an observatory against radicalism. Which echoes Emmanuel Macron's expectations. In October, the head of state called on the CFCM to combat communalism and Islamism. A call made after the attack at the prefecture of Paris in full controversy over the wearing of the veil.

► Read also: Emmanuel Macron urges the CFCM to have a strong voice on the place of the veil

Then the new president of CFCM wants to work on the training of imams and chaplains. A vast project implemented to promote " an authentic Islam capable of preserving French youth from extremist propaganda ," said Mohammed Moussaoui. For him, the organization of the Muslim worship should also be reviewed and the departmental level reinforced. This is so that Muslims have other interlocutors than prefects or mayors.

This election comes a few weeks before the presentation of a great plan to fight against communitarianism and Islamism. The Élysée is waiting for the CFCM to support this plan with a strong voice on the place of the veil, women and school. And this while the council is often criticized for not being representative of all Muslims in France.

■ A “ rather shyacademic

Bernard Godard, a specialist in Islam who participated in the creation of the CFCM, paints a portrait of the 55-year-old academic.

He is an academic, a professor of mathematics who was at the University of Avignon [...] He is, let's say, the quasi official relay of Morocco, of Rabat in France [...] It is not someone very communicative, who is rather shy in personality.

Bernard Godard, specialist in Islam 01/19/2020 - by RFI Play