25 March 2011

Islam emerges as campaign issue in French local polls

.... "Everybody is obsessed with the National Front's rise and thinks they can win some extremist voters by using its issues," he said. "But the opposite will happen if they continue this."

The debate has alienated many Muslims, even such moderate figures as Grand Mosque of Paris Rector Dalil Boubakeur, who announced Wednesday he would not take part in a public debate on secularism that the UMP plans to hold on April 5.

He said the debate about Islam "has greatly upset and worried Muslims who feel stigmatised because of their faith." [Reuters] Read more