Moroccan King’s $1 Million Mosque Donation Sparks Secularism Debate in France

28 January 2025 – bySaid@Bladi · 1 min read

The project of the great mosque in Metz, already marked by numerous controversies, has just experienced a new twist. A donation of one million euros from King Mohammed VI has been revealed, provoking strong reactions and relaunching the debate on foreign influence and secularism.

The Union of Secular Families in Moselle (UFAL 57) is concerned about this significant sum paid by the Moroccan sovereign. For Matthieu Gatipon-Bachette, president of the association, "we perceive an interference". He questions the king’s motivations and the impact of this donation on the mosque’s independence. "What worries us is Morocco’s influence on the project," he emphasizes.

UFAL 57 also denounces a lack of transparency on the part of the city of Metz and the mosque

Category: France

Keywords:

Religion Mohammed VI Metz