With Forif, the Ministry of the Interior “regains control of the governance of Islam in France and wants to change interlocutors”, analyzes Franck Frégosi, research director at the CNRS.
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With the establishment of the Forum de l’islam de France (Forif), the Ministry of the Interior “takes back control of the governance of Islam in France and wants to change interlocutors”in the ambition “to appeal more to representatives of Islam in the territories”judge on franceinfo Franck Frégosi, political scientist, director of research at the CNRS and member of the Societies, Religions, Secularism Group.
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Forif, a new body whose first meeting is being held on Saturday February 5, aims to obtain a more effective representation of the country’s second religion. It will bring together a hundred people designated by the State. Among them, “rectors of mosques, imams, men and women involved in associations and who have carried out community projects, who until now had no voice in the matter since most of the time, discussions were limited between the president of the CFCM , the presidents of federations and the minister”notes Franck Frégosi.
The Forif makes it possible to turn the page of the French Council of the Muslim Worship (CFCM), “emptied of all credibility” for Franck Frégosi following internal struggles. “Nature abhors a vacuum, I completely understand the minister’s reaction to say we need to set up a new project. However, there is a coincidence that does not surprise me unduly, we are in an election period so I think that in this device, there is also a part which is to highlight the action of the current government”.
For the political scientist, this initiative presents a risk. “Tomorrow, there may be a political alternation and in which case, what guarantees that this Forif will be able to project itself into the future?”asks Franck Frégosi.