The French president received the leaders of the Muslim faith on Wednesday, November 18. They gave him, at his request, an overview of an Imam National Council responsible for labeling imams in France, Elysee said.
On Wednesday night, Emmanuel Macron received not only CFCM President Mohammed Moussaoui and Chems-Eddine Hafiz, Rector of the Paris Mosque, but also representatives of the nine federations that make up the CFCM.
The Imam Council proposed by representatives of the Muslim faith to label imams and give them an official card. But it can also withdraw its approval in the event of a breach of a “charter of republican values” and a code of ethics that it must develop.
End of foreign disturbance
The charter, the president asked, must confirm the recognition of the republic’s values, specify that Islam in France is a religion and not a political movement, and establish the end of interference or affiliation with states aliens.
Depending on their role – imams leading the prayer, imams preachers and imams speakers – they will be asked for different levels of knowledge in French and diplomas, up to the university education.
The head of state asked representatives of the Muslim faith to draw up this charter within two weeks, to which the French Council for Muslim Worship (CFCM) and the nine federations that make it up will have to commit.
“Getting out of ambiguity”
The President told them that he knew that several of these federations had ambiguous positions on these issues and that it was necessary to “get out of these ambiguities”.
Among these nine federations, which represent a large part of the Muslim cult, three do not have “a republican vision”, such as Milli Görüs, on Turkish obedience and the Muslims in France, formerly the UOIF, notes Elysee. .
“If some do not sign this charter, we will bear the consequences,” warned the president, who “noted their proposal.”
The CFCM’s membership in this new organization of Muslim worship in France would mark a victory for Emmanuel Macron, the target of sometimes violent criticism from Muslims in several countries for his statements about an Islam “in crisis” and his speech against radical Islam.
300 “stationed” imams
Since his speech against separatism and radical Islam in early October and especially since the assassination of teacher Samuel Paty and the attack that left three dead in late October in Nice (southeast), Emmanuel Macron has increased his pressure on Islam’s governing body in France to fight foreign influence, radicalization and political Islam.
Its goal is to put an end to the presence in France of the 300 foreign imams “posted” by Turkey, Morocco and Algeria within four years.
