By Ala Abbas
SIX more months to go for the presidential elections in France. Seven candidates have registered their names to contest the election, which raises two questions: Who will not be elected? And who will be the main player in this election?
On the first question, I would say that the incumbent President Francois Hollande would not be re-elected as many exit polls suggest.
Some analysts have gone to the extent of saying that Hollande will not even contest in view of the negative rating of his government. Every terrorist attack in Paris has decreased French people’s confidence in the president.
Recent police demonstrations against increasing violence and workload have further worsened the situation of Hollande and his party as the rallies disrupted traffic on the main roads of Paris. More than 3,000 police officers took part in the demonstrations.
Police said the government had failed to protect their interests and provide them with the tools and facilities to defend themselves during violent incidents. As a result of the government’s negligence attacks against police and terrorist operations have increased.
Lack of equipment has reduced security officers’ capability to confront terror that threatens France and safety and security of its people.
Meanwhile, labor unions took to the street to protest the new labor laws. Other candidates and parties have raised these issues and developments to attack Hollande. They have also blamed Hollande for growing terrorist attacks.
According to the latest opinion polls, Alain Juppe, a former prime minister under President Jacques Chirac, is likely to win the presidential election, which will not only end Hollande’s rule but also highlight the role of Islam and Muslims in the country.
The stand of Muslims in the election would be crucial. Political parties and movements have started presenting their election manifestos to woo voters and solve the various problems facing the country, especially terrorism.
How to deal with Islam, secularism, the war against terror and closure of immigration to France are vital issues that would challenge the new president. All the candidates are unanimous on strengthening security to confront terrorism and political Islam.
According to a report issued by the French Islamic Council, there are seven million Muslims and 2,300 mosques in France. Muslims will represent one third of French population in less than 10 years.
From the beginning of 2013, activities against Islam and Muslims in France have increased by 25 percent and 12 mosques have been desecrated making sacrilegious drawings on their walls. In 2015 alone 429 anti-Muslim incidents have taken place, showing 223 percent rise in such incidents compared to 2014.
After the latest terrorist attacks in Paris such anti-Muslim attacks and activities have increased as enemies write hostile slogans on the walls of mosques and insult hijab-clad Muslim women and raise banners that link Islam with terrorism. The government has decided to close down mosques that give refuge to terrorists and extremists or if their imams are found making hate speeches.
The first phase of presidential elections will take place on April 23 while the second on May 7. The polls provide a good opportunity for Muslims to raise their issues. However, the winning of the election would depend on the candidate’s success in convincing voters on how he or she is going to deal with Islam and Muslims in the country.
They will lose crucial Muslim votes if they fail to protect their rights and at the same time they have to appease French voters presenting their plans to defeat terrorism with an iron hand and putting greater restrictions on immigration, especially from Muslim countries.
Recurrent terrorist attacks in recent years have dashed Hollande’s hope for a second term. Plans to confront the danger of terrorism would determine who will occupy the Elysee Palace in the next five years. Islam and Muslims will undoubtedly play a big role in the upcoming French election.
