Head of Macron’s party threatens to withdraw support from Muslim candidate wearing hijab

The head of French President Emmanuel Macron’s political party Stanislas Guerini has warned a party candidate of withdrawing support for wearing a headscarf in a campaign poster.

Sara Zemmahi, an engineer standing for the party in the southern city of Montpellier in regional elections was pictured wearing a headscarf in a campaign poster along with three Republic on the Move (LREM) colleagues. The regional elections are set to take place on June 20 and June 27.

Reacting to the picture posted by the number two in France’s far-right National Rally (RN) party, Jordan Bardella, Guerini, who helped found Macron’s centrist movement in 2016, responded, "Wearing ostentatious religious symbols on a campaign document is not compatible with the values of LREM."

"Either these candidates change their photo, or LREM will withdraw its support,” Guerini tweeted. According to Reuters he said that LREM will withdraw Zemmahi's nomination.

One of Zemmahi’s fellow candidates Mahfoud Benali who was pictured along with her, defended her, saying she 'see Sara’s abilities and not what she is wearing'.

Macron’s government is in the process of passing new legislation to crack down on Islamist separatism which would give the state more power to vet and disband religious groups judged to be threats to the nation.