Separatism: MEPs give the first green light in committee

A week of dense debates, rather than polemics: the deputies completed this Saturday the examination in committee of the bill against “

separatism

” and on the means to fight against radical Islamism, first step before the hemicycle on February 1st.

To read also: Law against separatism: "The government wants to silence the debate"

Chaired by François de Rugy, the special committee responsible for examining the bill "

strengthening the principles of the Republic

" gave the first green light to this controversial text, after 55 hours of debates marked by the adoption of 169 amendments.

"

We had a somewhat technical debate which will undoubtedly be more political in the hemicycle

", predicted the Minister of the Interior Gérald Darmanin, pilot of this bill wanted by Emmanuel Macron which according to him "

will be a milestone

".

After retouching the freedoms of association and education on Thursday and Friday, parliamentarians attacked another totem pole of the Republic this Saturday: the 1905 law on the separation of churches and state.

The goal?

Modify the characteristics of religious associations.

Not the revocation of the Edict of Nantes

Against the background of the fight against Islamist separatism, the number one objective of the bill, the executive wants to encourage Muslim cultural associations and evangelists, the vast majority under the statute of the 1901 law, to migrate to the legal regime of the law of 1905. It is associated with a series of advantages, in particular fiscal advantages, and new financing tools such as the possibility of operating investment properties.

These hoped-for transfers from one regime to another are accompanied by counterparts: recourse to a chartered accountant, declaration of foreign funding, specific management by the association's office.

In the line of sight: avoid the entryism of elements considered radical.

"

We added constraints in 1901 and we added advantages in 1905

", explains the Minister of the Interior Gérald Darmanin.

Will simple tax advantages motivate the associations really targeted by the provision to migrate to the “

1905

” provisions?

LR Julien Ravier doubts it.

Read also: Law against separatism: a much more demanding imam charter

For their part, the partisans of a combat secularism have fired red bullets on the delicate question of investment properties, that is to say the possibility for cults to exploit buildings given up free of charge to pocket the rents.

"

It is a breach of the law of 1905

", took offense François Cormier-Bouligeon (LREM) who denounces an "

indirect subsidization of cults

".

An analysis shared by Alexis Corbière (LFI).

The goal is not to worship "

property managers

" at the head of real estate empires, assured Florent Boudié, general rapporteur.

In his wallet, an amendment that allows to cap and frame what his opponents consider to be a gift to worship.

"

It is important to give resources to religious associations

," warned Gérald Darmanin.

In particular, Islam depends on foreign funding that the government wants to dry up.

"

Beware of pauperization

" which would favor "

the Islam of the cellars

" and not that of "

the golden mean

", argues the minister.

Often presented as a strictly repressive bill, this text "

organizes liberalities

", praised one of the co-rapporteurs Sacha Houlié.

"

It was not the revocation of the Edict of Nantes

" of 1598 which granted guarantees to the Protestants, he exclaimed.

Controversy over "

the French State

"

Started Monday, the examination of the text "

separatism

" by the deputies of the special commission advanced in slow motion because of a high number of amendments: more than 1800. Started with thunderous controversies on the veil and the "

censorship

" amendments to oppositions, the examination of the bill continued in a more serene and studious atmosphere, while awaiting its passage in the hemicycle from February 1.

Discussions have sometimes turned sour, especially between Gérald Darmanin and the extreme right.

Saturday morning, an amendment by Emmanuelle Ménard speaking of “

the French State

” and aiming to enshrine in law “

the Christian heritage

” provoked an outcry.

The bill provides for a battery of measures on the neutrality of the public service, the fight against online hatred, family education, strengthened control of associations, better transparency of religions and their funding, and even the fight against certificates of virginity, polygamy or forced marriages.