barfly
23-02-05, 15:38
STRASBOURG, France, Feb 23 (Reuters) - A multi-party group
of EU lawmakers called on Wednesday for France to lift its
controversial ban on Islamic headscarves in state schools,
saying it violated Muslims' right to free expression.
Five European Parliament members are seeking support in the
732-seat assembly for a declaration asking Paris to rethink a
ban imposed to counter growing Islamist influence among a small
minority of France's 5-million-strong Muslim community.
"Restricting religious expression and freedoms violates
human rights and panders to the racist right," British Green MEP
Caroline Lucas told a news conference.
The lawmakers come from the Conservative, Green, Liberal and
Socialist political groups in the European assembly, though it
is not yet clear how much support they will be able to muster
for a majority at a future plenary voting session.
But parliamentary sources said the group might still find
the required 367 signatures to see its declaration -- which also
calls for the assembly to debate the ban -- put on the agenda.
French lawmakers would likely be the main opponents of any
resolution calling for an end to the ban, according to one
source.
"Whether they will want to support something so provocative
as this, when it's a national and legal issue, remains to be
seen," the source told Reuters.
France's conservative government says the headscarf ban,
imposed in September, will guarantee religious freedom by
keeping all faiths out of state schools, and is intended to
preserve the French principle of secularism.
Wellicht biedt dit nieuwe perspectieven voor de Franse moslims? Lijkt me redelijk dat je gewoon een hoofddoek moet kunnen dragen.
of EU lawmakers called on Wednesday for France to lift its
controversial ban on Islamic headscarves in state schools,
saying it violated Muslims' right to free expression.
Five European Parliament members are seeking support in the
732-seat assembly for a declaration asking Paris to rethink a
ban imposed to counter growing Islamist influence among a small
minority of France's 5-million-strong Muslim community.
"Restricting religious expression and freedoms violates
human rights and panders to the racist right," British Green MEP
Caroline Lucas told a news conference.
The lawmakers come from the Conservative, Green, Liberal and
Socialist political groups in the European assembly, though it
is not yet clear how much support they will be able to muster
for a majority at a future plenary voting session.
But parliamentary sources said the group might still find
the required 367 signatures to see its declaration -- which also
calls for the assembly to debate the ban -- put on the agenda.
French lawmakers would likely be the main opponents of any
resolution calling for an end to the ban, according to one
source.
"Whether they will want to support something so provocative
as this, when it's a national and legal issue, remains to be
seen," the source told Reuters.
France's conservative government says the headscarf ban,
imposed in September, will guarantee religious freedom by
keeping all faiths out of state schools, and is intended to
preserve the French principle of secularism.
Wellicht biedt dit nieuwe perspectieven voor de Franse moslims? Lijkt me redelijk dat je gewoon een hoofddoek moet kunnen dragen.