The Grand Mosque of Paris and the Rassemblement des musulmans de France called for a vote for Emmanuel Macron in two communiqués issued on Wednesday April 13 and Friday April 15.
The rector of the Grand Mosque of Paris, Chems-Eddine Hafiz, considered that “abstention and the invalid vote will strengthen the extreme right”. In a video shared on social media, he also stated that “malicious forces are speaking out today and calling for the expulsion of Muslims”.
“How should one respond to this malice, which is becoming more and more commonplace and is taking root in people’s minds?” he asked, answering in the same breath: “By voting in the sense of continuing the republic”.
“To vote is to exist. To vote is to ensure dignity and pride for the future generation, which we must not pawn, (like) the future of our children by remaining passive witnesses to an impending political catastrophe,” the Rector added.
The latter opined that democratic functioning “does not prevent hate speech and lies” against Muslims. An “extreme and dangerous” attitude that “could lead to a historical disaster”, Chems-Eddine Hafiz added, before concluding by calling for people to vote for the candidate of the La République en Marche party.CNews
This opinion is shared by Chems-Eddine Hafiz, a lawyer specialising in the law of Arab countries. He comments: “To use the legal system in such a case would be like killing a fly with a cannon. A law would be counterproductive, even dangerous”. Nevertheless, he concedes that the problem, even if it is a minority one, is worth investigating. “The burqa in France would be unacceptable,” the lawyer explains. Its spread must be stopped, but not by laws, pressure or stigmatisation.”France 24