Some days ago, the political class and media in France were talking of nothing other than the banning of the niqab [the full Islamic facial covering for women], thanks to a decision by French President Nicholas Sarkozy. The deterioration in the euro, the economic crisis in Greece and the demonstration by French farmers and their entry into the capital on more than 1,000 tractors, did not occupy France as much as the niqab issue. We know that in France there are about 5 million Muslims out of a population of 65.5 million people. Among all Muslim women, there are no more than 700 to 1,000 at the most who wear the niqab, and the majority of these are Frenchwomen who have embraced Islam, and not only Arab women. The banning of the niqab in a secular country like France has many supporters among the moderate, ruling right wing, as well as the extreme right, and opposition socialist parties and others. The commotion in a country based on the values of “liberty, fraternity and equality” can be understood only as the raising of a sensitive issue that seems to target the Muslim community, the majority of which obeys the laws of the land. This issue, which was raised by President Sarkozy and those in his party, deliberately following the ruling right's loss in municipal elections, appears to be a political bid to attract more supporters for the moderate right, which was weakened by its crushing loss in the elections. At the same time, it conflicts with the conviction of France's Sarkozy to be a symbol of dialogue among civilizations, since it harms – through the commotion that has arisen on the matter, and the way in which the decision was put forward – the Muslim community, the majority of which is unconcerned by the measure. This commotion over banning the niqab led to the stopping of a niqab-wearing woman driving a car; she was fined because her field of vision was impaired by the niqab. Then the fuss moved to the woman's husband, Elias, of Algerian origin, who owned a halal store in Nantes and was married to four women. It then moved to the banning of polygamy after the announcement by the French interior minister, Brice Hortefeux, one of Sarkozy's closest advisors, that Elias Habbaj was born in Algeria and obtained citizenship in 1999, was living with his four wives and 12 children, and received assistance from the state. This is a single case, in a country of 65 million people, and such a commotion should not be raised, while huge problems such as unemployment and the economic crisis are much greater than the case of Elias Habbaj and his wives, or lovers, as it was said. It seems the commotion that was raised by proposing a draft law to ban the niqab has been about diverting the French public's attention from fundamentally important matters and their real concerns, instead of focusing on a sensitive issue that might lead to some Muslims in France feeling oppressed. Why this commotion now? During her recent visit to Jordan, French Justice Minister Michelle Alliot-Marie was informed by the chairman of the Jordanian Human Rights Committee that he was surprised France, the country of liberty, equality and fraternity, had taken such a decision. In fact, implementing this decision will be very difficult. How will women be prosecuted, wherever they are in French cities, and forced to pay fines because they wear the niqab? It is difficult to see the implementation of this decision in big areas, roads, or public parts. This struggle against the niqab has no benefit other than its being political more than practical or effective. The entire French political class is thinking about a law that concerns fewer than 1,000 cases, out of 65 million Frenchmen!
