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Barely launched, the "general states of secularism" strongly criticized

2021-04-20T04:07:21.878Z


The government is inaugurating a series of conferences and round tables on Tuesday to debate this subject deemed sensitive, especially among young people.


The government installs Tuesday April 20 and until the summer of the "general states of secularism" with for objectives to reach the youth and to have a peaceful debate on this sensitive subject. Marlène Schiappa, Minister Delegate for Citizenship, launches them Tuesday morning with a "high level conference" at the National Conservatory of Arts and Crafts (Cnam) in Paris, in which the essayist Caroline Fourest and the philosophers Henri Pena Ruiz and Gaspard Koenig. Academician Barbara Cassin or lawyer Richard Malka will join the proceedings later. Because until the summer, will be held

"round tables and working groups on freedom of expression, research, youth, civic integration"

,Marlène Schiappa had indicated in

Le Journal du dimanche

.

To read also: Marlène Schiappa announces "States general of secularism"

“White cards” will also be entrusted to associations, such as the Licra.

A

“major consultation”

will also be launched

“with 50,000 young people, accessible at the address laïcité.make.org”

.

“It's a subject of passion.

The idea is to say: let's talk about it together and listen to each other, ”

argued Marlène Schiappa.

The sensitive issue of French-style secularism regularly opposes two camps. On the one hand, the supporters of respect for religious freedom as long as it does not disturb public order. On the other hand, the supporters of a further limitation of religious freedom, in particular the wearing of religious symbols such as the veil. Among the latter, competition is fierce between ministers assaulting proposals, such as Gérald Darmanin at the Interior, for whom secularism must be the "remedy" to cure a country

"sick"

of

"Islamist separatism"

. But also the Minister of Education Jean-Michel Blanquer, who told

Le Monde that he

wanted to launch a think-tank on secularism in view of the presidential election of 2022.

"An object of permanent media agitation"

Marlène Schiappa, minister under the supervision of Gerald Darmanin, occupies the field and makes proposals to replace the Observatory of secularism.

This body chaired for eight years by the former socialist minister Jean-Louis Bianco, is accused by certain politicians or members of the Republican Spring of having been too lax against Islamism.

Matignon must announce in the coming weeks the new device which will succeed the Observatory.

But barely announced, these States General were already under fire from critics.

"We do not have a debate after a law"

, denounced Monday on France Info the MEP EELV Yannick Jadot, in reference to the bill fighting against "separatism", adopted at first reading last week by the Senate and wanted as a marker of the Macron five-year term.

While Marlène Schiappa announced wanting to

"get out of the pincers between on the one hand the far-right identitarians and on the other the indigenous people and Europe Ecology-The Greens"

, the elected ecologist asked on Twitter that "the insults ”from the minister.

To read also: "Secularism, leaven of civil peace and republican harmony"

"Marlène Schiappa launches the States General of secularism after her government has made it a tool for stigmatizing Muslims"

with the "separatism" law, also estimated Senator (EELV) Esther Benbassa. The CFDT asked to

"stop making secularism an object of permanent media unrest"

. Laurent Berger's union, invited by the minister, told him that

"this kind of initiative was poorly chosen while the law"

against separatism

"is still in the pipeline (and poses many problems)"

.

"We are preparing the ground to replace the Observatory of secularism, which was doing an excellent job

(...)

by a new body in the pay of the government,"

said Aurélien Taché, former LREM deputy, presenting these States General as

"A grotesque communication operation"

.

Asked by AFP, the president of the International League against Racism and Anti-Semitism (Licra), Mario Stasi, who will participate, has placed himself on the ground of appeasement.

To read also: François Hollande: "secularism is not against Muslims"

"If the debate moves from this spillway of hatred, of invective that are the social networks, towards an in-depth work putting side by side different approaches to secularism"

and allowing

"to come out with concrete proposals in respect of the law 1905, if that is the Estates General, I only see advantages, ”

said Mr. Stasi.

Source: lefigaro

All news articles on 2021-04-20

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