Fears about communautarisme were heightened when an official report commissioned by President Macron stated that French institutions were being infiltrated by the Muslim Brotherhood.

One unwelcome consequence of the latest municipal elections in France has been the reintroduction of the religious issue into national politics. These local elections – when more than 30,000 communes choose their mayor and council – can sometimes preview the presidential election (the next one will be held in April next year). The powers of a mayor in France, particularly in big cities, are considerable, and the office can become a stepping stone to the presidency – as happened with Jacques Chirac, one-time mayor of Paris. But in last month’s elections, neither of the anticipated doom-laden scenarios occurred.

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