France: Macron obtains from the Muslim cult the creation of a council of imams
French President Emmanuel Macron during his speech on "Islamist separatism" in Mulhouse, February 18, 2020. AP - Jean-Francois Badias
Text by: RFI Follow
3 min
The French President received this Wednesday, November 18, the leaders of the Muslim faith.
They presented him, at his request, with the outline of a national council of imams responsible for labeling imams in France, said the Elysee.
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This Wednesday evening, Emmanuel Macron received not only the president of the CFCM Mohammed Moussaoui and Chems-Eddine Hafiz, rector of the Paris Mosque, but also the representatives of the nine federations that make up the CFCM.
The council of imams proposed by representatives of the Muslim faith will be able to label imams and give them an official card.
But it can also withdraw their approval in the event of a breach of a “
charter of republican values
” and of a code of ethics that it must develop.
End of foreign interference
The charter, the president asked, must affirm the recognition of the values of the Republic, specify that Islam in France is a religion and not a political movement, and stipulate the end of interference or affiliation with states foreigners.
Depending on their role - imams leading prayer, imams preachers and imams as lecturers - they will be asked for different levels of knowledge of French and diplomas, up to university training.
The Head of State asked representatives of the Muslim faith to draw up this charter within two weeks, on which the French Council of Muslim Worship (CFCM) and the nine federations that make it up will have to commit.
"
Getting out of ambiguities
"
The president told them that he knew that several of these federations have ambiguous positions on these subjects and that it is necessary "to
get out of these ambiguities
".
Among these nine federations, representative of a large part of the Muslim cult, three do
not
have "
a republican vision
", like the Milli Görüs, of Turkish obedience, and the Muslims of France, ex-UOIF, notes the Elysee .
"
If some do not sign this charter, we will draw the consequences
", warned the president, who "
took note of their proposals
".
Membership of the CFCM in this new organization of Muslim worship in France would mark a victory for Emmanuel Macron, the target of sometimes violent criticism from Muslims in several countries for his remarks on an Islam "
in crisis
" and his speech against radical Islam.
300 "
seconded
"
imams
Since his speech against separatism and radical Islam in early October and especially since the assassination of the teacher Samuel Paty and the attack that left three dead at the end of October in Nice (south-east), Emmanuel Macron has increased his pressure on the governing bodies of Islam in France to fight against foreign influence, radicalization and political Islam.
Its objective is to put an end, within four years, to the presence in France of the 300 foreign imams "
seconded
" by Turkey, Morocco and Algeria.
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To read also: France: the word separatism erased from the title of the law, precaution or retreat?
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France
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