ASSOCIATED PRESS: ROME — An Egyptian-born writer who renounced Islam and was baptized by Pope Benedict XVI said Sunday that he has formed a political party that would enter candidates in next year's EU elections.
Magdi Cristiano Allam said his "Protagonists for Christian Europe" party would work to defend Europe's Christian values, which he sees threatened by secularism and moral relativism. He said his new party would be open to people of all faiths and would be close to the conservative European People's Party.
Allam built his career in Italy as commentator and book author attacking Islamic extremism and supporting Israel.
In March, Allam angered some in the Muslim world with a high-profile conversion during an Easter vigil service led by the pope in St. Peter's Basilica.
Allam, who took the name Cristiano upon converting, has credited Benedict with being instrumental in his decision to become a Catholic and has said the pope had baptized him to support freedom of religion. >>> | November 30, 2008
TIMESONLINE: Political Party Founded to Defend Christian Europe
A newly converted Christian has set up a political party to defend Christianity against secularism and moral relativism
An Egyptian-born writer who was baptised by Pope Benedict XVI last Easter after converting to Christianity from Islam has announced that he has founded a political party to "defend Christian Europe" which would field candidates in next June's European elections.
Magdi Cristiano Allam, 56, said the party, "Protagonists for a Christian Europe", would work to defend Europe's Christian values, which were threatened by secularism and moral relativism to the point where Europe risked "committing suicide". The party would be open to people of all faiths.
Mr Allam, an associate editor of the newspaper Corriere della Sera, was speaking at the Foreign Press Club in Rome, accompanied by a police escort. An outspoken critic of Muslim extremism and a supporter of Israel, Mr Allam is under armed guard because of death threats. >>> Richard Owen in Rome | December 1, 2008
The Dawning of a New Dark Age (Paperback – Italy)
