An Ifop poll for Le Figaro measuring perceptions of Islam has found that people have a growing sense of unease about its role in France.
What’s notable about the results is that where once such
sentiments were perceived as the preserve of the “extreme right”, they
are now felt across the political spectrum. Back in 2010, 39 per cent of
Socialist Party voters felt Islam was too prominent within French
society — a majority of 52 per cent feel this to be the case six years
on.
Le Figaro says the poll confirms a “total rejection” of the religion in France, after its capital in 2015 saw two deadly Islamist terror attacks.
Seventeen people were murdered over three days in January, including most of the writers of satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo. Then, on November 13th a series of coordinated attacks claimed 130 innocent lives, including 89 people shot dead at the Bataclan theatre.
The poll also found that 47 per cent of people consider the
presence of Muslim communities a threat to France’s identity, up five
points from 2010. However, 19 per cent believe Muslims culturally enrich
the country.
Surveys by Ifop going back to 1989 have consistently
measured attitudes toward aspects of Islam in French society, and the
change over the years paints a picture of a nation whose tolerance has
worn thin.
In 1989 33 per cent of French people responded that they
were “in favour” of building mosques, while the figure today is just 13
per cent . That year, 31 per cent were opposed to wearing the veil in
general, a number that in 2016 has risen to 63 per cent.
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