Thursday, June 04, 2015

Sarkozy Panned for Holding ‘Question of Islam’ Meet


In first action, former French president’s new center-right party debate place of Islam in France, to dismay of religious groups


THE TIMES OF ISRAEL: Nicolas Sarkozy’s right-wing opposition party held an internal meeting Thursday on the “question of Islam” in France, drawing criticism from Muslim groups and some members of the party for “stigmatizing” the religion.

The former French president’s party, recently rebranded “The Republicans,” debated “the place of religion” in secular France and more specifically “Islam in France.”

France is home to Europe’s largest Muslim community and also the continent’s biggest Jewish community but is officially secular.

One month after the January attacks in Paris that killed 17, Sarkozy said: “The question is not to know what the Republic can do for Islam, but what Islam can do to become the Islam of France.” » | AFP | Thursday, June 04, 2015