The incumbent president has made life harder for Muslims in France, but most will vote for him reluctantly
Like clockwork, Muslim women have once again become a central topic in French politics, as people prepare to vote in the second round of the presidential election on Sunday. “For me, the question of the headscarf is not an obsession,” Emmanuel Macron said last week, signalling that he was happy with the status quo – headscarves are currently not allowed in schools – but also suggesting his far-right rival Marine Le Pen’s plan to ban them entirely was beyond the pale.
There are between 5 and 6 million Muslims in France, and they overwhelmingly voted for the far-left Jean-Luc Mélenchon (69%) in the first round. However, many are still undecided or have decided to abstain in this second round. This is despite several imams, including the head of the great mosque of Paris, encouraging worshippers to vote for Macron to prevent Le Pen from becoming president.
