The bill confirming republican principles worries representatives of religions in France.
The chief rabbi of France sees in this text in particular a risk of limitation of the freedom of religious practice, while the president of the Protestant Federation of France denounces an excessive control of the associative life for the cults.
Debated since Monday in the National Assembly, the bill confirming republican principles (former bill on separatism) worries representatives of cults in France.
The text, whose stated aim is to strengthen the arsenal against radical Islamism, the "first of separatisms" according to the Minister of the Interior Gerald Darmanin, is frowned upon by the French leaders of Catholics, Jews and Protestants.
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"Religions are not potential risks for the Republic"
However, at the launch of this project on which Emmanuel Macron is playing big, these same representatives were unanimous on the primary objective of the bill.
But the climate has deteriorated in recent weeks.
Catholics, for example, took a dim view of the exit of the Minister of the Interior, Monday on
France Inter,
who said that believers should consider "the law of the Republic as superior to the law of God".
Without forgetting that the standoff over the confinement and the ban on masses, has certainly not contributed to good understanding between the two parties.
Charter of the principles of Islam of France - @GDarmanin, on non-signatory associations: "We can no longer discuss with people who refuse to write on a piece of paper that the law of the Republic is superior to the law of God" # le79Interpic.twitter.com / byKW9I9tzJ
- France Inter (@franceinter) February 1, 2021
"Religions are not as some would have us believe in the potential risks for the Republic," says his side at the microphone of Europe 1 Haim Korcia, the chief rabbi of France, yet very favorable to the law, who asked what appears in article 1 of the bill for the principle of guaranteeing freedom of religious practice.
"The freedom of worship is something consubstantial with the republican, secular system. And we claim this secularism. It should perhaps also be recalled, which would then make it possible to give a general line to all the articles of law", he adds.
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A change of status that makes people cringe
As for the French Protestants, they are also windward.
Because the bill consolidating the republican principles aims in particular to pass the Muslim religious associations of the law 1901 to the law 1905 to better control their financing.
In the process, the State intends to take a closer look at the functioning of all associations of law 1905, statute which governs all Protestant religious associations.
An unacceptable step for François Clavairoly, president of the Protestant Federation of France, who sees in it "a suspicion with regard to religions disturbing and incomprehensible".
"This is the first time since 1905 that the liberal and open mindset is no longer respected. This goes exactly in the direction of the Council of State in its opinion on the bill which alerted to two resumes of excessive control of associative life for cults. "
François Clavairoly who adds that our German, Swedish and Danish neighbors are worried about what is happening in France.
For its part, the Conference of European Churches, which brings together Protestants, Orthodox and Anglicans, has planned to send a letter shortly to Prime Minister Jean Castex and the Minister of the Interior to challenge them on this subject.