Macron Vows to Reform Islam in France
"It is time to bring in a new generation."

by Soeren Kern • February 13, 2018 at 5:00 am

The overall objective of President Macron's plan is to ensure that French law takes precedence over Islamic law for Muslims living in the country.
The plan, as currently conceived, is vague and short on details, but appears to involve three broad pillars: determining who will represent Muslims in France; delineating how Islam in France will be financed; and defining how imams in France will be trained.
"It is time to bring in a new generation. We have seen fifteen years of debate to defend the interests of foreign states." — Hakim el-Karoui, a French-Tunisian expert on Islam who is advising Macron on the reforms.

Emmanuel Macron, President of France. (Photo by Dan Kitwood/Getty Images)

French President Emmanuel Macron, in a declared effort to "fight fundamentalism" and "preserve national cohesion," has promised to "lay the groundwork for the entire reorganization of Islam in France."

According to Macron, the plan, similar in ambition to Austria's Islam Law, is aimed at seeking to "better integrate" Islam in France in order to "place it in a more peaceful relationship with the state."

A key priority is to reduce outside interference by restricting foreign funding for mosques, imams and Muslim organizations in France. The plan's overall objective is to ensure that French law takes precedence over Islamic law for Muslims living in the country.

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Erdogan's Turkey: Making Trouble Everywhere

by Burak Bekdil • February 13, 2018 at 4:00 am

Since the failed coup in August 2016, the government says, it has purged more than 107,000 government employees for alleged links to the coup attempt. Worse, according to a Supreme Court justice, the Turkish government is investigating a total of 6.9 million citizens, or about 8.6% of all Turks.
Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu has warned international companies drilling for oil and gas off Cyprus that these hydrocarbons are within Turkey's continental shelf. Cavusoglu said that Turkey "is prepared to take all necessary measures" to protect its rights, and those of the Turkish Cypriots, in the eastern Mediterranean.
On January 26, several thousand Turkish Cypriots marched against what they say is Turkey's unwanted influence. Protesters braved pounding rain to voice their opposition to Turkey's agitation of "fascist and extremist" segments of their society.
Erdogan's Turkey apparently has an ideological incompatibility with the word "peace." This outright bullying can target any nation at any time. Optimists who think it might fade away will be proven wrong once again.

(Photo by Chris McGrath/Getty Images)

In official language, Turkey is in a state of emergency ever since a failed putsch, allegedly masterminded by a self-exiled cleric, killed nearly 250 people on the evening of July 15, 2016. Since then, the government says, it has purged more than 107,000 government employees for alleged links to the coup attempt. Worse, according to a Supreme Court justice, the Turkish government is investigating a total of 6.9 million citizens, or about 8.6% of all Turks.

Even "not-warmongering" can be associated with being a terrorist. More than 300 activists were arrested for their opposition to Turkey's military incursion into northern Syria. That number did not include the 11 doctors who are members of the Turkish Medical Association who were arrested for calling for a halt to the offensive. (They were later released but will stand trial). In addition, Turkey has asked Twitter, Facebook and YouTube to remove posts on the military offensive.

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