The municipal council of Grenoble validated Monday, May 16 a modification of the internal regulations of the swimming pools of Grenoble resulting in the authorization of the port of the burkini, a subject which aroused a national political controversy.
Read alsoThe burkini, the turbulent history of a controversial swimsuit
The deliberation was adopted with a narrow majority of 29 votes for, 27 against and two abstentions, after 2 hours 30 minutes of sometimes tense debates.
The ecologist mayor Eric Piolle brushed aside the objections of the opposition, invoking a "
feminist
" fight, health and "
secularism
" because nothing prohibits the wearing of religious clothing in the public space, "
including at the swimming pool
”.
The city council opened its session in the middle of the afternoon.
Between 200 and 300 people had gathered in front of the headquarters of the metropolis, where the council was taking place.
In the crowd, elected officials, political activists gathered at the call of Alain Carignon, the leader of the right-wing opposition in Grenoble, UNI students and ordinary citizens, from right and left, had mingled , under signs calling for the withdrawal of the deliberation of the municipal council, the resignation of Éric Piolle or the defense of secularism.
“Non-subject” for Éric Piolle
The ecological mayor of the city of Grenoble, Éric Piolle, keeps repeating that the burkini is a "
non-subject
" and that the modification of the internal regulations of municipal swimming pools only aims to "
remove the aberrant clothing prohibitions
» and to go against «
injunctions on women's bodies
».
He received the support of a hundred personalities including feminists like Caroline De Haas or Alice Coffin who believe in a recent forum that "
no one should be stigmatized even in the basins because of their choice of jersey
".
But for its opponents, the burkini is a blatant symbol of oppression of women and is similar to the full veil that the Taliban have just reimposed on women in Afghanistan.
In a few weeks, and as the legislative elections approach, the debate on the burkini has turned into a political storm, the two camps clashing with tribunes, petitions and strong positions.