France Ends Foreign-Paid Imam Program, Mosques to Employ Clergy Directly

France had ended, in January, the status of imams seconded to its territory and paid by their countries of origin. Since this Monday, all the imams concerned must change their administrative status and become employees of their mosques or an association, relays Franceinfo. With this measure, the French government wants to ensure that the seconded imams are no longer paid by their countries of origin, of which they are considered civil servants and undergo influence.

The objective of the French Executive is therefore to reduce the influence of the countries of origin on these seconded imams, who come mostly from Morocco (30), Algeria (120) and Turkey (150). In total, 300 imams out of the 2,700 in France are affected by this measure, which is not without consequences for the mosques, especially the smaller ones with very limited financial means.

"We don’t ask for money from foreign countries. We make a contribution once a month. Believers give a donation that is used to pay the mosque’s expenses, such as electricity or water bills. These expenses will therefore naturally increase if we take the imam on board," explains Abdallah Zekri, the vice-president of the French Council of the Muslim Faith.

Also rector of the Mosque of Peace in Nîmes, Abdallah Zekri has already provided the prefecture with proof that the seconded imam who has been officiating in that mosque since 2021 is now an employee. The contract signed in due form with the imam obliges the rector to pay him a salary of 1,500 euros. However, the Algerian was receiving a salary of 2,650 euros from his country. Obviously, this measure creates a huge loss for these seconded imams who will choose to stay in France.