https://feeds.thelocal.com/ Read the latest news and views from France in English en-us news@thelocal.com (TheLocal) webmaster@thelocal.com (TheLocal) TheLocal RSS Feed The French parliament on Tuesday votes on a bill to battle Islamist extremism, which the state argues is needed to bolster the secular system but critics say breaches religious freedom. https://www.thelocal.fr/20210216/french-parliament-to-vote-on-anti-extremism-bill Tue, 16 Feb 2021 09:01:57 +0100 french-parliament-to-vote-on-anti-extremism-bill Three Muslim groups refused on Wednesday to back an anti-extremism charter pushed by French officials following a spate of jihadist-inspired attacks, dealing a blow to a flagship initiative of President Emmanuel Macron's government. https://www.thelocal.fr/20210121/french-muslim-groups-deal-blow-to-macrons-anti-extremism-charter Thu, 21 Jan 2021 08:43:49 +0100 french-muslim-groups-deal-blow-to-macrons-anti-extremism-charter Three months ago, President Emmanuel Macron made a speech in the Paris suburbs in which he promised a law to combat radical, Islamic 'separatism' writes John Lichfield. https://www.thelocal.fr/20210119/analysis-has-macron-succeeded-in-creating-an-islam-for-france Tue, 19 Jan 2021 14:55:20 +0100 analysis-has-macron-succeeded-in-creating-an-islam-for-france With the Islamic world in a war of words with the French president and countries including Turkey calling for a boycott of French products, commentator John Lichfield looks at the mistakes that have been made on both sides and what Emmanuel Macron could do to ease tensions abroad, but most importantly at home. https://www.thelocal.fr/20201026/opinion-erdogan-macron-france-turkey-boycott-whos-to-blame-for-macrons-war-of-words-with-the-muslim-world Mon, 26 Oct 2020 14:17:27 +0100 opinion-erdogan-macron-france-turkey-boycott-whos-to-blame-for-macrons-war-of-words-with-the-muslim-world Ten years ago France introduced a controversial ban on women wearing the full Islamic face veil in public, but the legislation did not have the desired impact and French governments are still making the same mistake towards the country's Muslim citizens, writes Agnes De Feo, author of a new book on the subject. https://www.thelocal.fr/20201013/opinion-10-years-after-france-banned-the-niqab-french-governments-are-still-isolating-muslims Tue, 13 Oct 2020 14:04:13 +0200 opinion-10-years-after-france-banned-the-niqab-french-governments-are-still-isolating-muslims The parents, uncle and aunt of a teenager of Bosnian Muslim origin will face trial in France on charges of violence against a minor for shaving her head over her relationship with a Christian Serbian boy, prosecutors said Friday. https://www.thelocal.fr/20200822/muslim-girl-in-france-shaved-by-family-over-christian-boyfriend Sat, 22 Aug 2020 09:14:18 +0200 muslim-girl-in-france-shaved-by-family-over-christian-boyfriend French authorities will stop Muslims from praying in a street north of Paris, the country's interior minister said on Sunday, after a series of protests by lawmakers and locals over what they view as an unacceptable use of public space. https://www.thelocal.fr/20171119/france-to-prevent-muslim-street-prayers-in-paris-suburb Sun, 19 Nov 2017 18:16:43 +0100 france-to-prevent-muslim-street-prayers-in-paris-suburb Hanane Charrihi never felt shunned by the country of her birth until a radical drove a truck through a crowd celebrating France's national holiday in Nice, killing 86 people, including her mother. https://www.thelocal.fr/20170327/muslim-daughter-of-terror-victim-i-fear-isis-and-racists-in-france Mon, 27 Mar 2017 18:08:47 +0200 muslim-daughter-of-terror-victim-i-fear-isis-and-racists-in-france The French are one of the worst nations in the world for overestimating the Muslim population, according to new research. https://www.thelocal.fr/20161214/france-worst-in-the-world-at-guessing-muslim-population Wed, 14 Dec 2016 17:32:59 +0100 france-worst-in-the-world-at-guessing-muslim-population France's top court are set to decide on Friday whether the burqini ban is legal. But in the 30 towns where the ban is in place, how many fines have actually been issued? https://www.thelocal.fr/20160826/nice-the-french-capital-of-burqini-fines Fri, 26 Aug 2016 12:53:26 +0200 nice-the-french-capital-of-burqini-fines While the government and religious leaders are preaching unity between communities the country is still witnessing several acts of Islamophobia with mosques targeted. https://www.thelocal.fr/20160805/france-sees-more-anti-muslim-acts-after-terror-attacks Fri, 05 Aug 2016 12:18:53 +0200 france-sees-more-anti-muslim-acts-after-terror-attacks A small supermarket in the Paris suburbs has been told that if it doesn't start selling alcohol and pork then it will have to shut down. https://www.thelocal.fr/20160805/french-store-risks-closure-for-not-selling-booze-or-pork Fri, 05 Aug 2016 11:54:05 +0200 french-store-risks-closure-for-not-selling-booze-or-pork France's Muslim leaders have denounced Tuesday's apparent terror attack at a church, and called for the country's Muslims to band together in support. https://www.thelocal.fr/20160726/muslim-leaders-denounce-terror-attack-at-french-church Tue, 26 Jul 2016 20:05:21 +0200 muslim-leaders-denounce-terror-attack-at-french-church A teenage Muslim girl was barred from entering her school grounds for wearing a long black skirt seen as too openly religious. https://www.thelocal.fr/20160506/french-muslim-sent-home-from-school-over-long-skirt Fri, 06 May 2016 10:13:12 +0200 french-muslim-sent-home-from-school-over-long-skirt The Sciences Po University in Paris hosted a "Hijab Day" on Wednesday, as student organizers attempted to end the stigma around women who wear the veil. But not everyone is playing along. https://www.thelocal.fr/20160420/paris-uni-students-invited-to-wear-veils-for-hijab-day Wed, 20 Apr 2016 12:07:57 +0200 paris-uni-students-invited-to-wear-veils-for-hijab-day A contentious survey in France that concluded the French are largely intolerant towards the country's Muslim and Jewish communities has ruffled feathers after featuring questions such as "how would you feel if your daughter married a Muslim?" https://www.thelocal.fr/20160201/contentious-survey-reveals-french-hostility-towards-muslims Mon, 01 Feb 2016 12:21:01 +0100 contentious-survey-reveals-french-hostility-towards-muslims A practising Muslim man is four times less likely to get a job interview in France than a Catholic counterpart, according to a study published on Thursday. https://www.thelocal.fr/20151009/muslim-men-in-france-see-cv-discrimination-study Fri, 09 Oct 2015 13:53:30 +0200 muslim-men-in-france-see-cv-discrimination-study A French MP has started a petition calling for vegetarian meals to be introduced to all French school canteens. https://www.thelocal.fr/20150817/french-mp-calls-for-veggie-meals-in-schools Mon, 17 Aug 2015 14:34:44 +0200 french-mp-calls-for-veggie-meals-in-schools UPDATED: Muslim store owners have been forced to scrap the "gender ban" at their grocery store in Bordeaux, after it caused outraged across France. https://www.thelocal.fr/20150622/france-muslim-store-bars-women-on-weekdays Mon, 22 Jun 2015 18:59:35 +0200 france-muslim-store-bars-women-on-weekdays One of France's top Muslim leaders has called for the number of mosques to double over the next two years to remedy a shortage of places of worship for the country's millions of faithful. https://www.thelocal.fr/20150405/french-muslim-leader-wants-doubling-of-mosques Sun, 05 Apr 2015 17:07:04 +0200 french-muslim-leader-wants-doubling-of-mosques