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French PM said that Naked Breasts represent France better the headxarf of Muslim women
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VietPress USA (August 30th, 2016): Bikini or Burkini is now becoming the big issue throughout the Europe. Muslim women in France struggle for wearing Burkini at public beaches, swimming pools; but almost Europeans and most Governments in Europe ruled to ban Burkini.
Last week the France’s highest administrative court declared to suspend one of the Burkini bans, ruling it “manifestly illegal”. This decision is likely to set a legal precedent; but most of the French mayors who have banned burkinis are still refusing to withdraw.
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| European Bikini lady (left) and Muslim Burkini (right) |
Manuel Valls, who clashed with France’s education minister over his support for mayors who have banned full-body swimsuits from beaches, gave a rousing speech on Monday night in which he hailed the bare breasts of Marianne, a national symbol of the French Republic.
The French Prime Minister in the Fifth Republic is the head of government and of the Council of
Ministers of France. During the Third and Fourth Republics, the head of
government position was called President of the Council of Ministers (French:
Président du Conseil des Ministres), generally shortened to President of the
Council.
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| French PM Manuel Valls |
The Prime Minister proposes a list of ministers to the
President of the Republic. Decrees and decisions of the Prime Minister, like
almost all executive decisions, are subject to the oversight of the
administrative court system. Few decrees are taken after advice from the
Council of State (French: Conseil d'État). All prime ministers defend the
programs of their ministry, and make budgetary choices. The extent to which
those decisions lie with the Prime Minister or President depends upon whether
they are of the same party.
Manuel Valls was appointed to lead the government in a
cabinet reshuffle in March 2014, after the ruling Socialists suffered a
bruising defeat in local elections.
Immediately, Manuel Valls faces criticism for comments regarding
Marianne, a symbol of republic, in context of continuing burkini ban row The French prime minister has drawn criticism for suggesting
that naked breasts are more representative of France than a headscarf, in the
latest flare-up of the bitter political row over the burkini.
“Marianne has a naked breast because she is feeding the
people! She is not veiled, because she is free! That is the republic!” he
thundered at a government rally. The inference that bare breasts were a symbol of France
while the Muslim headscarf was problematic sparked scorn from politicians and
derision from historians and feminists.
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| Famous Eugène Delacroix’s 1830 painting Liberty Leading the People |
Mathilde Larrere, a historian of the French revolution and
French citizenship, tweeted: “Marianne has a naked breast because it’s an
allegory, you cretin!” She then explained in a long series of tweets that
images of Marianne with a naked breast harked back to classical allusions.
Other historians questioned Valls’ grasp of French
republican history. The figure of Marianne officially became a symbol of the
French Republic in 1848, after the fall of the monarchy. Her image is still
featured throughout the French public service and on official documents, as
well as on stamps. Statues of Marianne adorn town halls.
The historian Nicolas Lebourg told French newspaper
Libération that Valls appeared to have confused Marianne with the earlier 1830
Delacroix painting of Liberty Leading the People, where the figure has her
breasts uncovered.
Many pointed out that Marianne typically has her head
covered with a Phrygian cap, a soft, felt hat that symbolised freedom and the
revolution. She has been portrayed in different ways, either with breasts
uncovered or fully covered.
The former Green party minister Cécile Duflot said Valls’
praise of Marianne’s bare breasts gave an indication of the lamentable view of
women held by some male French politicians.
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| Police removes the deadcarf of a Muslim lady on the beach |
The UN has called on French beach resorts to lift their bans
on the burkini, labelling them a “stupid reaction” that did not improve
security but fuelled religious intolerance and the stigmatisation of Muslims,
especially women.
The UN human rights office welcomed a decision last week by
France’s highest administrative court to suspend one of the burkini bans,
ruling it “manifestly illegal”. This decision is likely to set a legal
precedent. But most of the mayors who have banned burkinis are still refusing
to withdraw the restrictions and four face further legal action from rights
groups this week.
There has been additional controversy over the setting up of
a state body, the Foundation of French Islam, aimed at better organising the
religion in France and integrating the country’s Muslim population.
The choice of the former defence minister Jean-Pierre
Chevènement to head the foundation left many observers asking why a Muslim was
not given the role.
Comments by Chevènement this week, in which he appeared to
suggest that there were no French people left in Saint-Denis, a northern suburb
of Paris, prompted the local Socialist MP, Mathieu Hanotin, to start a petition
demanding that his appointment be blocked.
Hanotin said Chevènement had displayed “an unbearable racist
rhetoric” and “crossed a red line”.
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| France: No Muslim Burkini on the beach |
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| French Policeofficers chase a Muslim lady with Burkini out of the beach. |
