Just now, the French president Emmanuel Macron probably has more on his mind than the long-awaited, much-delayed initiative he promises on how Islam in France should be organised. The weekend has seen widespread protests about the price of fuel at the pump. As ever, I am torn between admiration for the "up with this we shall not put" rebelliousness of the French and anger at the belief that it's perfectly OK to stop people going about their daily lives. At one blockade in Savoie, a women anxious to get her daughter to the doctor panicked when confronted by protestors and tried to drive on. She knocked over and killed a female demonstrator who probably had nothing to do with impeding her journey to the medical appointment. Desperately sad on all levels ...
But there remains the issue of whether a better, differently organised Islam would both satisfy Muslims and tackle extremism. I am grateful to The National for allowing me to reproduce my work here ...
Continue reading "Macron's vision of France and Islam: is this the president's biggest challenge?" »
Recent Comments