The Battle of the Minarets is spreading across the borders of Switzerland and spilling into France where it’s starting to shine an uncomfortable spotlight on the country’s real attitude towards its six million Muslims.
Bernard Kouchner, the French Foreign Minister, is a champion of his country’s Republican values, forged in the Age of Reason and Enlightenment. He was quick to declare that he was shocked and scandalized by the result of the Swiss referendum last month which backed a ban on the building of minarets.
But one of the men who shares the same cabinet table as him, the Industry Minister, Christian Estrosi has a radically different attitude.
He also happens to be the Mayor of Nice - a minaret-free zone - and he’s vowed to keep it that way.
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