France
In France’s election, a meaty issue unites Jews and Muslims
As she cooks lunch and talks politics, Sarah Gutmann has a nasty feeling — of would-be French president Marine Le Pen invading the privacy of her home and meddling with her Jewish faith and the plates of chicken and kosher sausages that she is frying for her husband and their eldest son.
That’s because the far-right candidate wants to outlaw ritual slaughter if she’s elected next Sunday. And that could directly impact how Gutmann feeds her family and exercises her religious freedom. She and her husband, Benjamin, say they would have to think about leaving France if a far-right government interfered with observant Jews’ kosher diets. Their fear is that under Le Pen, targeting ritually slaughtered meats could be just the start of steps to make French Jews and Muslims feel unwelcome.
“Attacking the way we eat impinges on our privacy and that is very serious,” Gutmann said as she busied herself in the kitchen of their Paris home.
“The intention is to target minority populations that bother her and send a message to voters who are against these minorities: ’Vote for me, because I will attack them and perhaps, with time, make them leave.’”
Muslim shopper Hayat Ettabet said her family might be forced to illegally slaughter at home to stay within their religious rules, bleeding out animals “in the bathroom, back to the way it was.”
Le Pen says all animals should be stunned before slaughter, and frames the issue as one of animal welfare. That’s unacceptable to observant Jews and Muslims who believe stunning causes unnecessary animal suffering and that their ritual slaughters for kosher and halal meats are more humane.
Also read: In France, it's Macron vs. Le Pen, again, for presidency
With the largest populations of Muslims and Jews in western Europe, the issue has major potential repercussions for France and could hit communities elsewhere that buy French meat exports. The issue is one of the many fault lines between Le Pen and incumbent President Emmanuel Macron and the starkly different visions of France they are presenting for next Sunday’s election runoff vote. It is expected to be far closer than in 2017, when the centrist Macron beat Le Pen by a landslide.
“We have never been so close to having an extreme-right regime,” Gutmann said. “The alarm bell is ringing.”
Le Pen’s France would be more inwardly focused, with far fewer immigrants and fewer rights for those already here, less tolerance for non-Christian traditions, and less tightly bound to the European Union and the outside world.
Macron is largely promising the opposite as he seeks a second five-year term. Macron zeroed in on Le Pen’s proposals for ending slaughter without stunning to emphasize their political differences. He said he doesn’t want “a France that prevents Muslims or Jews from eating as their religion prescribes.”
Le Pen says she doesn’t want that either. But alarmed Jews and Muslims find her hard to believe. Le Pen is not opposed to other practices deemed cruel by animal welfare campaigners, such as bullfighting or — most notably — hunting, a tradition deeply anchored in rural France where she is trawling for votes. So her focus on kosher and halal meats smacks of hypocrisy to Jews and Muslims who see an attack disguised as animal welfare.
Le Pen says the meats could instead be imported. But that also makes no sense to critics, because it seems to run counter to Le Pen’s general France-first rule that the country should produce more things itself and import less.
Her camp has also flip-flopped. Jordan Bardella, Le Pen’s No. 2 who is heading their National Rally party while she seeks the presidency, said in March that they want an outright ban on kosher and halal meats, both imported and from domestically slaughtered animals.
Jewish leaders responded in a statement that the “detestable” proposition would force large numbers of Jews and Muslims to leave.
But Le Pen and Macron are both now modulating their positions on issues important to voters who didn’t support them in round one of the election, seeking to amass the votes they will need to win round two. Macron, most notably, has softened his plan to increase the retirement age to 65. Le Pen is trying to appear more inclusive.
“I’m not at all going to get rid of halal and kosher butcher shops,” she said this week. She said meat from animals that have been knocked out electrically might prove to be an acceptable halal alternative to some Muslims. But if not, “importing this meat would be authorized, obviously.”
“What we want is to truly stop this animal suffering, very intense, that is the consequence of slaughter without stunning,” Le Pen said.
Slovenia, Denmark and Sweden, as well as non-EU members Switzerland, Iceland and Norway, have done away with religious exemptions, meaning kosher and halal meat must be imported. So, too, have the Flanders and Wallonia regions of Belgium. The bans there are being challenged in the European Court of Human Rights by Yohan Benizri, a vice president of the European Jewish Congress.
Also read: France pushing for energy sanctions against Russia
He says outlawing religious slaughter makes Jews feel “we’re not part of European culture” and “portrays us as some form of savages.”
Because France exports kosher meats, banning its production “will have a devastating effect” on Jewish communities elsewhere, he said.
“It’s going to be a devastating signal as well because — again — we would be seen as not welcome in the European Union,” Benizri said.
As her son finished lunch, Sarah Gutmann said the most worrying aspect of a Le Pen-pushed law on the issue would be if it was met by general indifference.
“Then, really, I will be very, very scared,” she said. “If I see an unjust law go through and no one reacts, then we’ll say to ourselves that we really are in danger.”
In France, it's Macron vs. Le Pen, again, for presidency
Incumbent Emmanuel Macron will face far-right nationalist Marine Le Pen in a winner-takes-all runoff for the French presidency, after they both advanced Sunday in the first round of voting in the country’s election to set up another head-to-head clash of their sharply opposing visions for France.
But while Macron won t heir last contest in 2017 by a landslide to become France's youngest-ever president, the same outcome this time is far from guaranteed. Macron, now 44, emerged ahead from Sunday's first round, but the runoff is essentially a new election and the next two weeks of campaigning to the April 24 second-round vote promise to be bruising and confrontational against his 53-year-old political nemesis.
Savvier and more polished as she makes her third attempt to become France's first woman president, Le Pen was handsomely rewarded Sunday at the ballot box for her years-long effort to rebrand herself as more pragmatic and less extreme. Macron has accused Le Pen of pushing an extremist manifesto of racist, ruinous policies. Le Pen wants to roll back some rights for Muslims, banning them from wearing headscarves in public, and to drastically reduce immigration from outside Europe.
Also read: France pushing for energy sanctions against Russia
On Sunday, she racked up her best-ever first-round tally of votes. With most votes counted, Macron had just over 27% and Le Pen had just under 24%. Hard-left leader Jean-Luc Melenchon was third, missing out on the two-candidate runoff, with close to 22%.
Macron also improved on his first-round showing in 2017, despite his presidency being rocked by an almost unrelenting series of both domestic and international crises. They include Russia's war in Ukraine that overshadowed the election and diverted his focus from the campaign.
With polling suggesting that the runoff against Le Pen could be close, Macron immediately started throwing his energies into the battle.
Addressing supporters Sunday night who chanted “five more years,” Macron warned that “nothing is done” and said the runoff campaign will be “decisive for our country and for Europe.”
Claiming that Le Pen would align France with “populists and xenophobes,” he said: “That's not us.”
“I want to reach out to all those who want to work for France," he said. He vowed to “implement the project of progress, of French and European openness and independence we have advocated for.”
The election outcome will have wide international influence as Europe struggles to contain the havoc wreaked by Russian President Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine. Macron has strongly backed European Union sanctions on Russia while Le Pen has worried about their impact on French living standards. Macron also is a firm supporter of NATO and of close collaboration among the European Union’s 27 members.
Macron for months had looked like a shoo-in to become France’s first president in 20 years to win a second term. But National Rally leader Le Pen, in a late surge, tapped into the foremost issue on many French voters’ minds: soaring costs for food, gas and heating due to rising inflation and the repercussions of Western sanctions on Russia.
To win in round two, both Macron and Le Pen now need to reach out to voters who backed the 10 presidential candidates defeated Sunday.
For some of the losers' disappointed supporters, the runoff vote promises to be agonizing. Melenchon voter Jennings Tangly, a 21-year-old student of English at Paris' Sorbonne University, said the second-round match-up was an awful prospect for her, a choice “between the plague and cholera.”
She described Macron's presidency as “abject,” but said she would vote for him in round two simply to keep Le Pen from the presidential Elysee Palace.
“It would be a survival vote rather than a vote with my heart,” she said.
Le Pen's supporters celebrated with champagne and chanted “We’re going to win!” She sought to reach out to left-wing supporters for round two by promising fixes for “a France torn apart.”
She said the second round presents voters with “a fundamental choice between two opposing visions of the future: Either the division, injustice and disorder imposed by Emmanuel Macron to the benefit of the few, or the uniting of French people around social justice and protection.”
Also read: Macron keeps an open line to Putin as war in Ukraine rages
Some of her defeated rivals were so alarmed by the possibility of Le Pen beating Macron that they urged their supporters Sunday to shift their second-round votes to the incumbent. Melenchon, addressing supporters who sometimes shed tears, repeatedly said: “We must not give one vote to Mrs. Le Pen.”
Describing herself as “profoundly worried,” defeated conservative candidate Valerie Pecresse warned of “the chaos that would ensue” if Le Pen was elected, saying the far-right leader has never been so close to power. Pecresse said she would vote for Macron in the runoff.
To beat Le Pen, Macron will aim to pick apart her attempted rebranding as a less dangerous political force, a makeover that has even highlighted her love of cats.
Her softer image has won over some voters but made others even more suspicious.
Yves Maillot, a retired engineer, said he voted for Macron only to counterbalance Le Pen. He said he fears that her long-standing hostility to the EU could see her try to take France out of the bloc, even though she has dropped that from her manifesto.
“I don't think she's changed at all,” he said. “It's the same thing, but with cats."
Xi holds virtual summit with leaders of France, Germany
Chinese President Xi Jinping had a virtual summit with French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz on Tuesday.
Xi pointed out that the combined impact of major global changes and the pandemic, both unseen in a century, has brought multiple global challenges that need to be addressed through global cooperation.
Noting that China and the EU share much common understanding on promoting peace, seeking development and advancing cooperation, Xi said that we need to shoulder our responsibility to bring more stability and certainty to a turbulent and fluid world.
Xi said it is important for the two sides to enhance dialogue, stay committed to cooperation, and promote steady and sustained progress of China-EU relations.
China's development will create broader space for China-EU cooperation, Xi said, adding that the two sides must, under the principle of mutual benefit and win-win, further deepen green and digital partnerships as well as practical cooperation in various fields.
The two sides need to continue upholding multilateralism and advancing major global agenda, he added.
Macron and Scholz congratulated China on its successful hosting of the Beijing Olympic Winter Games, saying that the world faces many challenges, and each country acting on its own will only make things worse.
Read: Air alert declared in Kyiv as fighting continues
The European side values the important and positive role of China in global affairs, and is willing to engage in close cooperation with China to jointly tackle climate change, public health and other major global challenges, they said.
The two leaders said the European side is ready to work with China for a successful EU-China summit, and to move forward France-China, Germany-China and EU-China relations.
The leaders exchanged views on the key issue of the current situation in Ukraine.
Macron and Scholz shared their assessment and positions on the current situation in Ukraine, saying that Europe is facing the worst crisis since World War II.
France and Germany support reaching a settlement through negotiation and giving peace a chance, they noted.
The two leaders thanked China for its initiative on the humanitarian situation and said the two countries are ready to strengthen communication and coordination with China to promote talks for peace, and prevent further escalation of the situation that may worsen the humanitarian crisis.
Xi stressed that the current situation in Ukraine is worrisome, and the Chinese side is deeply grieved by the outbreak of war again on the European continent.
China maintains that the sovereignty and territorial integrity of all countries must be respected, the purposes and principles of the UN Charter must be fully observed, the legitimate security concerns of all countries must be taken seriously, and all efforts that are conducive to the peaceful settlement of the crisis must be supported, he said.
The pressing task at the moment is to prevent the tense situation from escalating or even running out of control, Xi stressed.
China commends the mediation efforts by France and Germany on Ukraine, he said, adding that China will stay in communication and coordination with France, Germany and the EU and, in light of the needs of the parties involved, work actively together with the international community.
Read: Ukraine war highlights internal divides in Mideast nations
Xi emphasized that we need to jointly support the peace talks between Russia and Ukraine, and encourage the two sides to keep the momentum of negotiations, overcome difficulties, keep the talks going and bring about peaceful outcomes.
We need to call for maximum restraint to prevent a massive humanitarian crisis, Xi said, adding that China has put forward a six-point initiative on the humanitarian situation in Ukraine, and stands ready to provide Ukraine with further humanitarian aid supplies.
We need to work together to reduce the negative impact of the crisis, Xi said, adding that relevant sanctions will affect global finance, energy, transportation and stability of supply chains, and dampen the global economy that is already ravaged by the pandemic. And this is in the interest of no one.
We need to actively advocate a vision of common, comprehensive, cooperative and sustainable security, Xi said.
China supports France and Germany in promoting a balanced, effective and sustainable European security framework for the interests and lasting security of Europe, and by upholding its strategic autonomy, he said.
China will be pleased to see equal-footed dialogue among the EU, Russia, the United States and NATO, Xi added.
The leaders also exchanged views on the Iranian nuclear issue.
France and EU to withdraw troops from Mali, remain in region
President Emmanuel Macron said Thursday that France will withdraw its troops from Mali nine years after it first intervened to drive Islamic extremists from power but intends to maintain a military presence in neighboring West African nations.
Announcing the move during a Thursday news conference in Paris, Macron accused Mali’s ruling military junta of neglecting the fight against Islamic extremists and said it was logical for France to withdraw since its role is not to replace a sovereign state on the battlefield.
“Victory against terror is not possible if it’s not supported by the state itself,” the French leader said.
France has about 4,300 troops in the Sahel region, including 2,400 in Mali. The so-called Barkhane force is also involved in Chad, Niger, Burkina Faso and Mauritania.
Also read: France eases entry rules for vaccinated travelers from U.K.
Macron said the French pullout would be done “in an orderly manner” in coordination with the Malian military. France will start by closing military bases in the north of Mali, and the withdrawal will take between four or six months, he said.
“We cannot remain militarily involved” alongside Malian transitional authorities with whom “we don’t share the strategy and goals,” Macron said.
European leaders simultaneously announced Thursday that troops from the European-led military task force known as Takuba also would withdraw from Mali. The Takuba task force is composed of several hundred special forces troops from about a dozen European countries, including France.
Tensions have grown between Mali, its African neighbors and the European Union, especially after the West African country’s transitional government allowed Russian mercenaries to deploy in its territory.
Macron said a coalition of allies will remain present in the Sahel and the Guinea Gulf to counter actions from Al-Qaeda and the Islamic State.
Macron organized a summit in Paris on Wednesday evening to address the issue with regional and European leaders of countries involved in the Sahel.
Representatives from Mali and Burkina Faso coup leaders were not invited since both nations were suspended from the African Union following coups.
Also read: Macron: Putin told him Russia won’t escalate Ukraine crisis
Senegalese President Macky Sall, who also chairs the African Union, said security and the fight against terror was “vital” for both Europe and Africa.
Speaking alongside Macron, Sall said he understood the decisions by France and the EU to end theirs operation in Mali but was pleased that an agreement on a new arrangement was reached to provide a continued presence in the Sahel.
Sall said there was a consensus during among EU and African leaders during their discussions that the fight against terror “should not be the sole business of African countries.”
Macron said the “heart” of the French operation “won’t be in Mali anymore” but in neighboring Niger, especially in the region bordering Burkina Faso, Macron detailed.
He did not give an estimate of how many forces would take part in the new operation.
French forces have been active since 2013 in Mali, where they intervened to drive Islamic extremists from power. But the insurgents regrouped in the desert and began attacking the Malian army and its allies.
Macron said support for civilians in Mali would continue, but he blamed the junta now ruling the country for its decision to hire a private Russian military contractor known as the Wagner Group, which the EU accuses of fomenting violence and committing human rights abuses in Africa.
Xi, Macron hold phone talks
Chinese President Xi Jinping on Wednesday afternoon said China stands ready to work with France to advance the ratification of the China-EU investment agreement and its entry into force.
He also called for joint efforts to make a success of the China-EU leaders' meeting, and the new round of high-level dialogues on strategic, economic and trade, green, digital and people-to-people affairs, so as to bring tangible benefits to the people on both sides.
Xi made the remarks in a phone conversation with his French counterpart, Emmanuel Macron.
Read: Meeting UN chief, Xi stresses unity, cooperation to tackle global challenges
Macron pledges full support for Beijing Winter Olympics, Paralympics
French President Emmanuel Macron said France has always supported and will continue to fully support the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics and Paralympics.
Macron made the remarks in a phone conversation with Chinese President Xi Jinping on Wednesday afternoon, during which he conveyed new spring greetings to Xi and the Chinese people for the Year of the Tiger.
He also extended congratulations on the splendid and successful opening ceremony of the Beijing Winter Olympics, noting that it is a quite demanding task for China to host the event as scheduled under the current circumstances.
Xi pointed out that the fact that the Beijing Winter Olympics has unfolded smoothly as scheduled demonstrates that the international community yearns for peace, unity and progress.
He also extended new spring greetings to Macron and the French people, and offered congratulations on the achievements of French athletes.
Read: Xi says ready to work with Putin to push for China-Russia cooperation results in all fields
Xi urges related parties to adhere to political settlement of Ukraine issue
Chinese President Xi Jinping on Wednesday stressed that related parties should stick to the general direction of political settlement of the Ukraine issue.
The Chinese president also emphasized that related parties should make full use of multilateral platforms including the Normandy format, and seek a comprehensive settlement of the Ukraine issue through dialogue and consultation.
Xi made the remarks in a phone conversation in the afternoon with his French counterpart, Emmanuel Macron, who presented his view on the current situation in Ukraine.
France recalls historic moments with Bangladesh
The French Embassy in Dhaka on Monday shared two photos recalling two historic moments with Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.
The historic photos were shared as the two countries are celebrating the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations.
Read:Bangladesh has ample capacity to run “free, fair” election: UK Envoy
“We wish to express our joy to celebrate today the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between France and Bangladesh,” said the Embassy in a message.
Bangladesh gets another 2.12 million AstraZeneca jabs from France
France has donated another 2.12 million doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine to Bangladesh under the COVAX facility as a gesture of solidarity to the friendly country’s fight against Covid. The new doses have taken the number of Covid shots donated by the French government to Bangladesh to 5.38 million to date. An Emirates flight carrying the third consignment of 2,126,100 Covid jabs landed at Shahjalal International Airport in Dhaka late on Monday night.
Read: Govt. will wait for a week to take further decision on Covid-19 curbs: Farhad The first consignment of 2.06 million doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine from France arrived in Dhaka on November 29, 2021, while the second consignment of 1,197,600 jabs reached Bangladesh on December 19. All the three consignments were sent from France to Bangladesh under the global sharing platform COVAX . The government of France has made the sharing of Covid vaccines one of its priorities, in solidarity with the countries hit by the pandemic and in order to help accelerate the vaccination coverage on a global scale.
France eases entry rules for vaccinated travelers from U.K.
France will let in travelers from Britain who are vaccinated against COVID-19 without having to self-isolate or to offer a valid reason for the trip, the French prime minister said on Thursday.
Prime Minister Jean Castex said travel restrictions will be eased starting Friday because the highly-contagious omicron variant is now largely dominant in both countries.
Read: Omicron’s New Year’s cocktail: Sorrow, fear, hope for 2022
In mid-December, France had limited the breath of what it considered valid reasons for traveling to the country and required a 48-hour isolation upon arrival in efforts to slow down the spread of omicron, which was more widespread in the U.K. at the time.
All those arriving from Britain must present a negative virus test taken within the previous 24 hours.
Unvaccinated travelers arriving from U.K. must still provide a valid reason for travelling and undergo a 10-day quarantine under police supervision.
Read: French kids line up to get vaccine shots as omicron spreads
France, which has one of Europe’s most-vaccinated populations, reported this week a daily record of more than 368,000 new coronavirus cases. The seven-day average of new cases is close to 270,000, which as resulted in a rise in hospitalizations.
Bangladesh gets more AstraZeneca doses from France
The government of France has donated 1,197,600 doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine to Bangladesh under the Covax arrangement.
The vaccine support from France came as a gesture of solidarity to the friendly country Bangladesh's fight against Covid-19 pandemic.
Read: Japan to provide more AstraZeneca vaccines to Bangladesh Dec 21
An Emirates flight carried the consignment of 1,197600 doses of AstraZeneca doses that arrived at Shahjalal International Airport on Sunday.
This is in addition to a consignment of 2.06 million doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine French gave to Bangladesh on November 29, 2021 through the Covax facility.
Read:UK donates over 4mn AstraZeneca jabs to Bangladesh
The government of France has made the sharing of Covid-19 vaccines one of its priorities, in solidarity with the countries hit by the pandemic and in order to help accelerate vaccination coverage on a global scale.
‘Had a very successful visit to France’, Hasina tells envoy
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Sunday said she was happy with the discussions and outcomes of her recent visit to France, and hoped that it will sustain the momentum in the coming years. Sheikh Hasina said this when outgoing French Ambassador Jean-Marin Schuh met her at her official residence Ganobhaban. PM’s press secretary Ihsanul Karim briefed reporters after the meeting.
READ: Bangladesh India’s development partner, Kovind tells Hasina
She also thanked the French President for inviting her to visit Paris in November last and lauded the Ambassador for his productive tenure in Bangladesh and the dynamic role he played in taking forward Bangladesh-France relations. Hasina said Bangladesh has historical bondage with France because the French people supported Bangladesh during its Liberation War and recalled with gratitude the support of the French government and its people during the Liberation War in 1971. Turning to the current situation, the Prime Minister said all the countries have suffered due to the Covid-19 pandemic. “We’ve got a huge population…we’ve carried forward our economic activities [at this, too],” she said. The Prime Minister greeted the outgoing Ambassador on his appointment as France’s special envoy to Afghanistan. Jean-Marin Schuh thanked the Prime Minister for the cooperation he received from the government during his tenure and said Bangladesh’s growth rate last year was very impressive during the pandemic. He said France will take over the EU presidency in February next and it will host a conference comprising Indo-Pacific countries during the same month. They will invite Bangladesh to the conference as well, he said.
READ: Soldiers ready to build prosperous Bangladesh: Hasina
Schuh sought cooperation from the Bangladesh government in expanding the Alliance Francis in Chattaogram. Talking about the pandemic, he said Bangladesh will get 1.2 million Covid-19 vaccine through Covax from France within this week. He said French Economic and political relations with Bangladesh is enhancing and mentioned that the joint communique which was issued during the Prime Minister’s visit to France covered many aspects of the French-Bangladesh relations. Principal Secretary Dr Ahmad Kaikaus was present at the meeting.