.... The format of the debate .... has yet to be confirmed, but a government-led debate on national identity last year involved a series of nationwide town hall meetings and an online forum for input from the public. Among the topics expected to feature on the agenda are Muslim veils, halal food, minarets and state funding of religious organisations.
.... Mr Copé, who devised the national debate, insists it will proceed. He sought to calm nerves this week by declaring that the 1905 law would “not be touched” but said “solutions” would be found to a number of problems. Among the possibilities are a ban on preaching in Arabic, zero tolerance of women refusing to accept treatment by male medics and the training of imams in France.
The disquiet in the UMP is set to grow, however, after a second opinion poll in a week put Ms Le Pen in first place, at 24 per cent, among likely presidential candidates. Speaking before the poll findings – the best in the FN’s history – were announced, Ms Le Pen cautiously welcomed the debate on secularism. “A little more blah-blah [from the UMP] and I’ll be at 25 per cent in the opinion polls,” she predicted. [The Irish Times] Read more
