France’s Muslims fear for their futures as Le Pen’s far right party surges
Al Jazeera
Tensions are rising in France, home to one of Europe’s largest Muslim minorities, ahead of the snap election run-off.
Paris, France – Fatimata, a 22-year-old French Muslim woman, suddenly feels as though many of her compatriots are against her very being.
On Sunday, the far right led the first round of parliamentary elections and while it’s not yet clear if Marine Le Pen’s National Rally movement will form a majority after the July 7 run-off, many of France’s six million Muslims are, like Fatimata, paralysed with fear.
“I am feeling betrayed by France. Knowing that 10.6 million people voted for a party promoting the ban of the veil in the public space is hurtful,” she told Al Jazeera.
She represents the kind of French citizen that Le Pen’s party has long demonised.
