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French President Emmanuel Macron is 44 today, but his birthday should not dampen the combative nature of the debate in France ahead of elections in the country next year. He faces potentially fierce competition from right-wing figures such as Val̩rie P̩cresse, who was set to win a second round of voting in an Elabe poll last week. Far-right Eric Zemmour, who called for a ban on non-French names, has also risen to prominence as National Rally leader Marine Le Pen is also running for another election. One issue that could feature prominently is religion РMr Macron has been criticized by the Muslim community in France, but Christianity is also a topic that has seen the president come under scrutiny.
In 2018, Mr Macron came under fire after saying he wanted to restore links between church and state, which led to accusations he was threatening France’s tradition of secularism.
Mr Macron told a meeting of bishops that he hoped to restore relations with the Church through a “dialogue of truth”.
He added: “A President of the French Republic, who is not interested in the Church and its Catholics, would be failing in his duty.
But the French president has been criticized for it.
Former Socialist Prime Minister Manuel Valls, who supported Macron for the presidency in 2017, tweeted that “secularism is France”.
Socialist Olivier Faure added: “Secularism is the jewel in our crown. It is what a President of the Republic must defend.”
French President Emmanuel Macron is 44 today, but his birthday should not dampen the combative nature of the debate in France ahead of elections in the country next year.
He faces potentially fierce competition from right-wing figures such as Valérie Pécresse, who was set to win a second round of voting in an Elabe poll last week.
Far-right Eric Zemmour, who called for a ban on non-French names, has also risen to prominence as National Rally leader Marine Le Pen is also running for another election.
One issue that could feature strongly is religion – Mr Macron has been criticized by the Muslim community in France, but Christianity is also a topic that has seen the president come under scrutiny.
The eminent leftist Jean-Luc Melenchon also tweeted: “Macron in full metaphysical delirium. Scandalous. We are waiting for a president, we get a little priest.”
Then Minister of the Interior in Paris, Gérard Collomb, defended the words of Mr. Macron at the time.
He said: “What he is saying is that for human beings there is not only the material world but also the search for absolute values, for spirituality, to find meaning in life.
“It may be a new tone, but in no case does it break with the great tradition of secularism.”
Mr Macron has a close relationship with Catholicism – he grew up in a non-religious family but asked to be baptized when he was 12.
Contrary to accusations of threatening secularism in France, Mr. Macron has also been criticized by some for his words defending it, as we saw in 2020.
READ MORE: “He stole his clothes! “Thinktank explains why Macron will beat Le Pen
After a series of attacks in France blamed on radical Islamists, Mr. Macron has been criticized for his stance on Islam.
Its combative rhetoric towards radical Islam has been called into question, not only in protests of anger in Islamic countries, but by English-language newspapers and even international political allies.
A 2020 New York Times column read: “Is France fueling Muslim terrorism by trying to prevent it?”
The Washington Post newspaper advised him to fight racism rather than trying to “reform Islam”.
Mr Macron also received criticism in October 2020 when he announced a law against “Islamist separatism” aimed at freeing Islam in France from “foreign influences”.
The measures include increased control of mosques and the requirement that imams be trained and certified in France.
The aim would be to “free French Islam from foreign influences,” Macron said.
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Islamic organizations that receive funding from the French state must sign a “secular charter†according to the rules.
Personalities from the Muslim world have targeted the French president for his comments.
In Bangladesh, around 40,000 people took part in an anti-France rally in the capital, Dhaka, burning an effigy of Mr. Macron and calling for a boycott of French products.
Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan accused Macron of sowing discord and encouraging Islamophobia.
He added: “This is a time when President Macron could have provided a healing touch and denied space to extremists rather than creating additional polarization and marginalization that inevitably leads to radicalization.
“By attacking Islam, clearly without understanding it, President Macron has attacked and hurt the feelings of millions of Muslims in Europe and around the world.”
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