Although Muslims make up a significant part of the French
population and Islam is the second-largest religion in France, one
in three Muslims reports being subjected to Islamophobic behavior,
due to Islam’s perceived incompatibility with “traditional” French
culture.
Given France’s long history of colonialism, particularly in
Muslim-majority regions of Africa, its resentment towards Islam is
understandable.
The policy of French President Emmanuel Macron aligns with those
of his predecessors. His re-election in 2022 was not seen as good
news for Muslims, as Macron has been ineffective in addressing
corruption, discrimination, and injustice in the country, including
unfair treatment towards Muslims.
The concept of strict separation of state and religion in
France, known as “laïcité,” has been in place since 1905. While
this principle is intended to ensure the state’s neutrality towards
religions by limiting religious expressions in the public sphere,
in recent years, this law has disproportionately affected Muslims,
particularly with bans on the hijab and other religious symbols,
leading to increased pressure on the Muslim community. The
consequences of Islamophobia have serious social and economic
impacts on France’s Muslim population. They face discrimination in
employment, housing, and access to public services. Additionally,
there are challenges in social integration and education, deepening
the existing social divide in the country. Restrictions on Muslim
women’s clothing hinder their participation in workplaces and
educational institutions.
France’s bias towards Azerbaijan and Azerbaijanis can also be
attributed to Islamophobia. The fact that the majority of
Azerbaijan’s population is Muslim, its victory in the 2020 Garabagh
war, its successes in sports and culture, and its support for the
struggles of territories once colonized by France, have all been
enough to irritate France.
France, which has maintained close relations with Armenia and
sought to exert influence in the South Caucasus, is frustrated and
angered by Azerbaijan’s resistance to these efforts. French
politicians, who have expressed their bias openly, have
demonstrated this repeatedly.
The European Olympic Games held in France this year brought the
country’s discriminatory policies to light. The treatment of
athletes from different races and religions, the hotel services,
and even the design of the medals were subject to criticism. The
opening ceremony, which mocked not only Islam but also
Christianity, was met with widespread anger. Social media users
compared the opening ceremonies of previous Games held in other
countries with France’s, exposing the reality.
In conclusion, despite France’s self-image as a leading European
nation and a powerful entity, internal social decay continues. A
deep-seated hatred and discrimination against Muslims, black
people, and Asians persist in the country, with Turks and
Azerbaijanis also being victims of this discrimination.
—
Fatima Latifova is AzerNews’ staff journalist, follow her on
Twitter:
@fatimalatifova
Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz
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Publish date : 2024-10-22 07:57:00
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