Construction of a mosque in Strasbourg: the two controversial points

The debate could have remained at the local level but it is now national.

Monday evening, the Municipal Council of Strasbourg, in Alsace, adopted "the principle of a subsidy" of more than 2.5 million euros for the construction of a mosque of Millî Görüs, a reputed association close to Turkey.

The next day, Gérald Darmanin strongly protested against this decision on his Twitter account.

"The green city hall of Strasbourg finances a mosque supported by a federation which refused to sign the charter of principles of Islam in France and which defends a political Islam", accused the Minister of the Interior.

Funding of a place of worship, suspicion of separatism ... Europe 1 takes stock of the controversy.

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The law of 1905 does not apply in Alsace

The first question that can arise is that of the authorization, or not, to subsidize a place of worship.

In Alsace, the law of separation of Church and State does not apply.

Indeed, at the time of the creation of this law in 1905, Alsace and Moselle did not belong to France but were German, hence this local peculiarity.

Using public money to finance a church, temple, pagoda or mosque is therefore completely legal in Alsace.

The green city hall of Strasbourg finances a mosque supported by a federation which refused to sign the charter of principles of Islam in France and which defends a political Islam.

Strongly that everyone open their eyes and that the separatism law will soon be voted and promulgated

- Gérald DARMANIN (@GDarmanin) March 22, 2021

At the microphone of Europe 1 Wednesday, the EELV mayor of Strasbourg Jeanne Barseghian therefore recalls being in his right.

"I respect local law which allows a municipality to finance 10% of the construction of a place of worship," she explains.

"This is what we have been doing for decades. I hear that Gérald Darmanin is asking a number of questions. Does that mean that he is calling into question local law? In this case, I think that must be said clearly. "

The action of the disputed association

Then arises the question of the project leader for the construction of the mosque.

This association is accused by Gérald Darmanin "of defending political Islam", in particular because it has not signed the new Charter of the principles of Islam in France.

Half-heartedly, the Minister of the Interior therefore considers that the action of this association may fall under separatism.

"Even if the separatism law has not yet been adopted, given the seriousness of the decisions taken by the green municipality of Strasbourg, I asked the prefect to refer the decision to grant a grant to the administrative judge", a- he writes on Twitter.

Even if the separatism law has not yet been adopted, given the seriousness of the decisions taken by the green municipality of Strasbourg, I asked the @ prefet67 to refer the decision to grant a grant to the administrative judge.

https://t.co/N9cL20z51p

- Gérald DARMANIN (@GDarmanin) March 23, 2021

But the environmentalist mayor of Strasbourg says she is unable to confirm this position.

"If the minister has information to send us", she adds, "let him do it".