They arrived early and discreetly on the morning of Tuesday, February 18, at the French Interior Ministry. The dozens of members and representatives of the Forum de l'Islam de France ("French Islam Forum," FORIF), which President Emmanuel Macron created in 2022, were invited to address the issues related to the country's second-largest religion. They were there to conclude the forum's second working session and present what had been done, debated or initiated over the past year. Unlike previous meetings, this one was held behind closed doors, without cameras or journalists, as some members wished to remain anonymous.

The issue, initially handled by the previous interior minister, Gérald Darmanin, before reaching the current one, Bruno Retailleau, is both complex and thorny. The government, accustomed to structured, hierarchical religions like Catholicism and Judaism, seeks to establish a clear dialogue with Muslims and their representatives. The idea is also to get feedback from across France on the various challenges faced by Muslim communities, identify difficulties and prevent potential radicalization.

You have 80.1% of this article left to read. The rest is for subscribers only.