French Government Blocks Sale of Puteaux Mosque to Morocco

The transfer of the mosque planned by the Islamic Solidarity Association does not meet the approval of the Ministry of the Interior. "The sale will not take place," announced the entourage of French Minister Gérald Darmanin. On several occasions, the latter has not failed to urge the Moroccan authorities to reconsider this project.

The mosque leaders have taken the news badly, as they were hoping for financial support from Morocco to complete the construction of the Islamic center started in 2011 on a plot on Rue Saulnier.

However, some worshippers of the Puteaux mosque welcome this decision, especially since the transfer project did not have the unanimous support of the local Muslim community, many of whom have constantly denounced the "lack of transparency" in this project.

As for the municipality of Puteaux, it remained silent on the subject, apart from the opposition councilor Francis Poézévara, who expressed his disagreement with the project during the last municipal council.