Far-Right French Politician Reverts to Islam
"Both are demonized and very far from the image portrayed in the media," Maxence Buttey, a councilor in the eastern Paris suburb of Noisy-le-Grand, told Le Parisien newspaper, drawing up similarities between the Front National party and Islam, The Telegraph reported.
"Like Islam, the FN defends the weakest. The party denounces exorbitant interest rates charged on the debt of our country, and Islam is against the practice of usury."
Buttey, 22, reverted to Islam recently.
Yet, his decision became known after he send officials of the anti-immigration FN party a video in which he praised the "visionary" virtues of the Quran and urged them to become Muslims.
The video was a shock to many members of the party, which announced suspending Buttey from a regional FN committee.
"Religion is a private choice which I respect but it must not enter into the sphere of our political activities," Jordan Bardella, a local party secretary, said.
“The proselytizing video which Maxence sent out is unacceptable.”
France is home to a Muslim community of nearly 6.5 million, the largest in Europe.
Le Pan’s party has been adopting anti-Islam agenda for years. She took over the National Front from her father, party founder Jean-Marie Le Pen, who has several convictions for racism.
Le Pen has objected to schools serving Halal meat for Muslim pupils, a controversial issue in France, which has banned the wearing of the full-face veil in public and headscarves in state schools.
She also compared Muslim street prayers to Nazi occupation in a speech given during a rally in 2010.
Source: On Islam
