French Muslims’ Electoral Bid Criticized

The announcement of a French Muslim party decision to take part in local elections next March has sparked anger among some politicians and rightists, considering the move a step towards further “isolation” of the religious minority in the European country.

“It’s a downright provocation, and an insult to Muslims,” Geoffrey Carvalhinho from the conservative Union for a Popular Movement (UMP), told RFI on Sunday, February 15.

“I’ve gone door-to-door in my neighborhood and spoken with Muslims and many have told me they don’t want to make a huge fuss and dance about being Muslim.

“They’re French, end of story.”

Carvalhinho’s comments came a few days after the Democratic Union of French Muslims (UDMF) announced its intention to join the electoral race next month in a bid to provide French Muslims chance to air their views.

Taking part in elections for the first time, the (UDMF) has put up two candidates in the March election in the Paris suburb of Bobigny, which has a large percentage of immigrants.

Another seven UDMF candidates will run for the regional elections in other cities including Marseille, Lyon and Nice.

Slamming the UDMF’s electoral bid, Carvalhinho, who will be competing for mayoral post town of Pantin on the outskirts of Paris, claimed that French Muslims may be forced to choose between their country and their religion.

“Do we have a Catholic party, a Jewish party, no, so why should we have a Muslim party?” questions Jacques-Elie Chabert, a CEO of a local TV station targeted at the Muslim community.

However, Chabert believes that UDMF’s aim to enter the political mainstream may be French Muslims’ last resort to correct their image and fight Islamophobia after Paris attacks.

“It’s the best way of promoting pride among Muslims,” he said.

Fueling Far-right

Joining criticism against UDMF decision, some observers argued that the party’s political bid may fuel the far-right activism in France.

“I am against all the things which can separate and divide people”, Gérard Prudhomme, a deputy-mayor from Seine-Saint Denis, a tough Parisian suburb, said.

“This kind of initiative will further boost the Front National’s clout,” Prudhomme warned.

Meanwhile, Marine Le Pen’s party, the Front National, criticized the UDMF electoral bid as “backward”, claiming that it would aggravate tensions and divisions.

FN and other parties’ claims were dismissed by the Muslim party that stressed it is not a “religious” one.

The UDMF, which has 900 members and 8,000 supporters, is widely known for its pro-Islam agenda that aims to promote Islamic finance and lift hijab ban in French schools.

The Muslim party also aims to promote the use of Arabic in schools and “fight against dangerous stigmatization that equates Islam with terrorism,” according to the party’s founder Nagib Azergu.

Founded in 2012, the UDMF came in response to the spread of the negative portrayal of Muslims and Islamic culture as “harmful, hostile and dangerous.”

The Party’s declaration to take part in March election came a month after Paris attacks that left 17 killed, including two Muslims.

The National Observatory Against Islamophobia said over one hundred incidents have been reported to the police since Charlie Hebdo attacks of January 7-9.

The rise in attacks over the last two weeks represents an increase of 110 percent over the whole of January 2014, the organization said.

Moreover, a Muslim father was stabbed to death in his own home in southern France this week by a neighbor who claimed to be avenging Charlie Hebdo.

Credit to Islamonline