Thursday, April 12, 2018

French Pres. Calls for Closer Church-State Ties; Macron's Idea Denounced by French Pol.Critics

French President Emmanuel Macron has come under fire from political and secularist critics after calling for the country's divided church and state to "mend" their "damaged" relationship, the Christian Today website reports today (April 12, 2018).

The issue is particularly sensitive in historically Catholic France, where the division was written into law in 1905 and which is now home to Europe's largest Muslim and Jewish communities.

"I consider it my responsibility to stop the erosion of confidence among Catholics with regards to politics and politicians," Macron told church dignitaries in Paris this week.

However, former prime minister Manuel Valls and Socialist Party head Olivier Faure said the separation of church and state must remain a mainstay of political life, in a country where public service employees are banned from wearing Muslim veils and other dress with religious connotations.

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