French Lawmaker Voices Concerns Over Islam Stigmatization in Veil Debate

6 February 2021 – bySylvanus@Bladi · 2 min read

The issue of wearing the veil was the subject of debates in the National Assembly during the examination of the law "strengthening respect for the principles of the Republic". LREM deputy from Vaucluse Souad Zitouni carries the voice of a fringe of the population who say they are stigmatized, and "have the impression that Islam is always a kind of black beast that must be eradicated".

"I have people who told me to carry their voice, they are afraid that a population will be stigmatized, they have the impression that Islam is always a kind of black beast that must be eradicated," she said on RMC on Friday.

In the National Assembly, Article 1 of the text devoted to the neutrality of the public service to propose a series of amendments on the wearing of the veil revived tensions. The elected official protested against the conduct of the debates in the National Assembly. "I have the impression of being in front of a court, the court against Islam and Muslims," denounced the LREM deputy.

"By doing what you are doing, by limiting (to women wearing the veil, editor’s note) access to university, public transport or public space, you are even infringing on these principles of freedom, equality, fraternity. You don’t even leave them (women wearing the veil, editor’s note) the choice to choose. That’s what’s hard and incomprehensible," lamented the elected official, recalling that "living together does not mean living the same".

"Me, I want social peace, living together in serenity while respecting each other. Bringing the veil back to the table every time, as the LR deputies are doing right now, it hysterizes the debate. They are stirring up the people, against each other," warns the deputy from the 1st constituency of Vaucluse.