Macron seeks French cabinet's approval for new law tackling "Islamist extremism"
- Macron says the legislation is needed to promote France's secular system but his plans have led to rise in social tensions among Muslim community
- French PM says rather than targeting Muslims it aimed to "free Muslims from the growing grip of radical Islamism"
(Karachi) French President Emmanuel Macron has sought his cabinet's approval for draft legislation combating "radical Islamism" after a spate of attacks, which critics fear risks targeting all Muslims, local media reported on Wednesday.
As per details, Macron said that the legislation is needed to promote France's secular system but his plans have led to rise in social tensions, especially amongst Europe's Muslim community.
Earlier, the text was originally titled the "anti-separatism" bill, a term Macron uses to describe ultra-conservative Muslims withdrawing from mainstream society. However, after facing harsh criticism of that term, it is now called a "draft law to strengthen republican values," mostly secularism and freedom of expression.
"The enemy of the Republic is a political ideology called radical Islamism, which aims to divide the French among themselves," French Prime Minister Jean Castex said.
He opined that rather than targeting Muslims it aimed to "free Muslims from the growing grip of radical Islamism."
In October, French President Emmanuel Macron accused Muslims of separatism and vowed not to give up cartoons depicting Prophet Muhammed (PBUH).
Later, a number of countries around the world started boycotting French products, after French President Emmanuel Macron's anti-Islamic rhetoric and inflammatory statements. Trade associations in several Arab countries announced to boycott French products in protest against Macron's anti-Islamic remarks.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan called the proposed legislation an "open provocation".
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