The French Minister of the Interior, Laurent Nuñez, affirmed that he would not support a ban on the wearing of the veil for minors in public spaces, defending an approach which he presents as consistent with republican principles.
Speaking from the Grand Mosque of Paris, he justified his position by rejecting any stigmatization of young girls. “I will not be the one who goes and explains to children that by wearing the veil, they threaten Republican living together,” he declared, believing that such a measure would be neither adapted nor consistent with the values of the Republic.
Laurent Nuñez also indicated that he wanted, as minister responsible for religion, to support “any initiative that can contribute to making Islam better known”, in a logic of dialogue and understanding. He underlined the importance of promoting better knowledge of this religion in French society, in a context where questions linked to secularism and the place of Islam remain sensitive.
The minister also recalled Emmanuel Macron’s attachment to this orientation, evoking the executive’s desire to promote a better understanding of Islam in France.
