The French Council for Muslim Worship (CFCM) formally approved, Sunday, January 17, a "charter of principles" of Islam in France and its leaders will be received Monday by President Emmanuel Macron, who had demanded this text as part of its offensive against separatism.

After several weeks of internal crisis, the three leaders of the CFCM announced on Saturday an agreement to snatch this text which affirms the "compatibility" of the Muslim faith with "secularism", "equality between men and women" and rejects "the instrumentalization of Islam for political ends".

"The charter recalls that acts hostile to Muslims in France and to the symbols of their faith is the work of an extremist minority which cannot be confused with either the State or the French people," said Mohammed Moussaoui, the president of the CFCM in a press release.

Its formal adoption by the nine federations making up the CFCM opens the way to a vast restructuring of the second religion in France and in particular to the creation of a National Council of Imams (CNI), which will be responsible for "labeling" imams practicing in France.

"A very significant step forward"

In a separate press release, the Elysee Palace announced Sunday evening that Emmanuel Macron would receive CFCM representatives at noon on Monday, along with the Minister of the Interior and Worship, Gerald Darmanin.

The announcement comes as the anti-separatism bill arrives in the National Assembly on Monday.

Gérald Darmanin, to whom the three CFCM leaders presented this charter on Saturday in Beauvau, has already hailed "a very significant advance" and the mark of a commitment against "political Islam".

This formal reaffirmation of republican principles had been requested from the leaders of the CFCM in mid-November by the President of the Republic in the wake of his offensive against "separatism" and radical Islam, since formalized in a bill.

The Head of State called on Muslim representatives to put an end to certain "ambiguities" and also intended to put an end, within four years, to the presence in France of the 300 foreign imams "seconded" by Turkey, Morocco. and Algeria.

"If some do not sign this charter, we will draw the consequences", warned the president. 

After the failure of many attempts at reforming Islam in France, the pressure of the executive on the Muslim bodies was further reinforced with the jihadist attack against Samuel Paty in mid-October and in the basilica of Nice for two weeks later.

With AFP

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