Leader of France’s far-right National Front Party and member of the National Assembly, Marine Le Pen presented a bill to combat Islamism - an alternative to the separatism law proposed by the Macron government, writes Le Monde. The plan of the right-wing radicals declares war against Islam in its own "cruel" ways: it prohibits wearing the hijab and other religious symbols in public places, giving information in the movies, media, books, and also provides for the dismissal and expulsion from the country of persons suspected of sympathizing with Islam.
It should be noted that Marine Le Pen, who is known for hostility to Islam, shared post in her twitter that she declared war on Islam. Le Pen, who participated in the program "Vous avez la parole" broadcast on France 2 said: "I fight against all forms of Islam, its application and spread. Islam must be banned from all sides. To ensure the security of the state, Islam must be attacked and destroyed."
According to European democratic values, no any politician has the right to spread hatred against any culture, religion and race. However, Le Pen hasn’t been yet punished at the court level for her statement.
The current situation in France and other European countries allows dozens of politicians, like Marine Le Pen, to promote hostility against Islam and other non-western cultures.
Further to clarification of Islamophobia, the British journalist Neil Watson shared comments with Eurasia Diary. In his comments, he condemned the campaign propagating Islamophobia in France and other European countries.
According to his position, Macron government and far-right opposition take part in similar position to Islam. Both of them have been involved in intensifying the campaign of Islamophobia.
“In my view, Marine Le Pen's anti-Islamic comments on French TV are completely abhorrent and contrary to the international democratic values representing racial and religious freedoms. Unfortunately, her views go unchallenged in France because they are part of an Islamophobic trend in France and across Europe. Similar perspectives have also been expressed by President Macron on numerous occasions as they are popular amongst voters, and Muslims are scapegoats for European countries whose economies are dwindling due to the impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic and other crises,” said Watson.
If any hatred statements were made against Christians in any Muslim country, the whole West would unite against it. However, when it comes to negative reaction to Islam, the West does not take hard measures against hatred provoking statements.
Touching upon this issue, Watson points out that the realities of Islam are not properly understood among the mass of the population in the west.
“Unfortunately, the realities of Islam, as an Abrahamic religion with the same roots as the Judeo-Christian religions are not properly understood amongst the mass of the population in the west. This suspicion of Islam is also fostered by the mass media and social media, and assisted by the deterioration in education in the west that has resulted in a reduced ability to undertake critical and analytical thinking,” he said.
Furthermore, the British journalist noted three main reasons why the current government, some opposition figures and mass media in France are interested in instigating Islamophobia.
“There are three main reasons for the political support for Islamophobia in France. First, Muslims, and particularly Mahgrebienne (North African) Muslims who constitute the vast majority of Muslims in France, are particularly ghettoised. France has never achieved proper multiculturalism and there is misunderstanding and suspicion of Islam in France. Second, it appears to the electorate to blame the economic woes of the country on Muslims. Third, Armenian and some Jewish politicians and business owners are omnipresent in France and their views and opinions are very strongly favoured amongst the French ruling elites,” he stressed.
Yunis Abdullayev
