Mélenchon Warns New French Law Targets Islam, Sparking Religious Controversy

With this law, "what is targeted is Islam, nothing else," affirmed the deputy from the Bouches-du-Rhône on the BFM Politique set, on Sunday. On Friday, the Minister Delegate to the Interior, Marlène Schiappa, had formally denied this assertion. "It is not just radical Islam, but it is also and mainly radical Islam because it is the main threat at the moment in France," she said.

"I am willing to admit that in the mind [of Emmanuel Macron, editor’s note] it is integralist or political Islam. In that case I agree to say that, whether it is Islam, Catholicism or Judaism, religion has no place in politics," continued Mr. Mélenchon. The law of 1905 also entered the debate. For the LFI elected official, politics has no place in religions. It is not up to the government to tell people how they should pray (...) nor how, nor why.

Emmanuel Macron "no doubt has good intentions, but it is not intentions that we should discuss," judges Jean-Luc Mélenchon. "France has had three centuries of religious war, we must not put our finger in there, we must not rekindle that, however little. We need everyone to be shoulder to shoulder to face the health crisis. If there are crazies, we will know how to stop them."