France approved the Anti-Radicalism Bill

The lower house of the French parliament has approved the Ant-Radicalism bill in a bid to fight the Islamic radicalism.

Anti-Radicalism Bill

• The bill seeks to strengthen the government oversight of mosques and religious schools.
• It will also take strong actions against the polygamy and forced marriage.
• The bill provides for measures with the aim of rooting out the Islamic radicalism.
• It is a part of the broader French efforts that it initiated with the aim of fighting extremism.
• It will also promote respect for French values.

Background

The bill was passed in the backdrop of fighting extremism in the country. This fight against extremism gained momentum after a teacher was beheaded in October 2020.

How Muslims are reacting?

Many of the French Muslims stated that this draft law will limit the religious freedom. They are of the view that this bill unfairly targets them since there are already enough laws to fight the terrorist violence in the country. Further, the critiques are of the view that this bill was passed keeping in view the Presidential election of 2021 in order to win the support from conservative and far-right voters.

French Parliament

The French Parliament is a bicameral legislature of the French Republic. It comprises of the Senate and the National Assembly. Both of the assembly conducts the legislative sessions at different locations in Paris. The senate holds the sessions at the Palais du Luxembourg while the National Assembly holds the sessions at Palais Bourbon. Both the houses have their own regulations and rules of procedure.

Radicalism

It was a historical political movement of the 18^th and 19^th centuries in the domain of liberalism. This movement is a precursor to the social liberalism. The movement seeks to transform or replace the fundamental principles of society through the social change, revolution, structural change or radical reform.

Month: Current Affairs - February, 2021