Specialist in great vocally structured speeches and with a strong historical content, Jean-Luc Mélenchon did not skimp on Monday in the National Assembly, opening the debates on the bill "
consolidating the principles of the Republic
".
With an angle at least unusual: a defense of secularism very protective of religions.
Until being ironically treated as a “
spokesperson for clericalism
” by the Minister of the Interior, Gerald Darmanin.
"
At all times there have been fanatics, terrorists ...
"
The rebellious presidential candidate first positioned himself in defense of Muslims, whom he considers attacked by the text and for which he is willingly the spokesperson.
A stronger position since his participation in the controversial Parisian demonstration against Islamophobia in November 2019. “
After what we will hear in this hemicycle over the next fortnight,
predicted Mélenchon
, I do not believe that the fraternity will have taken a big step in this country, especially in the direction of Muslims
”.
“
With incredible pretension,
” he insisted, sweeping aside the claims of the executive and the majority
, “this law claims to dig into the soil which, it seems, justifies terrorism.
But this breeding ground is the human spirit, because at all times there have been fanatics, terrorists, violent people, people who wanted to stand out by destroying everything.
"
“
Listen to socialists, communists, this is our apotheosis!
"
But to hear him, following the very hostile declarations of the leaders of the major religions in France, all faiths will be concerned.
"
We can attribute to you a success, an immense success, all religions agree that your law threatens them
", quipped the deputy from Marseille, before launching into a long tribute to Catholics.
“I read this extraordinary sentence from the French Bishops' Conference which says - listen to socialists, communists, this is our apotheosis!
-:
“The law of 1905 is a law of freedom, it risks with this bill to be transformed into a law of control, police and repression.
"
" W
hat did they not say at the time!
»He added, quoting proudly«
with emotion and gratitude
»the last encyclicals of Pope Francis, as if these texts could have had an influence on the denunciation of the law by the bishops.
And above all, as if the Catholic Church in France had not for a long time, and already between the two wars, largely digested this law of 1905 ...
Secularism: "
not a state atheism
"
Jean-Luc Mélenchon vigorously defended a vision of secularism, which
“is not a state atheism
”.
“
Each time that here or there in the world and including in France, an attempt has been made to establish a State atheism, which would come to deny by little bits all that is in the texts of religions,
has- he supported
, we then embarked on the path of wars and violence.
For freedom of conscience can only be fully respected if we absolutely and radically separate the religious debate from the civil and political debate.
"
