The Council of State has just validated the order of the interim relief judge of the administrative court of Nice, issued on June 6th. It orders the opening of the Muslim prayer room in Nice West.
The Council of State believes that the “existing prayer venues do not allow Muslims to practice their religion under normal conditions of dignity and safety.” It considers that this situation is “worsened during Ramadan.”
It also specifies that the refusal of the mayor of Nice “causes serious and manifestly illegal harm to the freedom of religion,” adding that the prohibition of opening “can only legally be based on safety reasons to refuse authorization.”
In conclusion, “the security commission had issued a favorable opinion for the opening to the public.
The former mayor of Nice and president of the Metropolis, Christian Estrosi, was strongly opposed to the opening of the En Nour mosque and had repeatedly refused to sign the authorization for the opening of this 1,000-seat prayer room. Christian Estrosi voiced doubts about the financing of this mosque by Saudi funds. The En Nour association then took the matter to the administrative court.
Strongly displeased by this decision, which he views as a slap in the face, Christian Estrosi reacted with a statement that revealed his disappointment.
He accuses everyone (Council of State, Minister of the Interior, Prefect, etc.) of conspiring against his desire to install a nursery there and to build a place of worship in another location in agreement with other religious associations, in opposition to the one named En-Nour.
“The Council of State has therefore chosen to allow the opening, in our country, of a new place of worship financed by a Saudi national,” he accused, making reference to the presumed origin of the funds that financially supported the operation.
The assumption that the Council of State is aware of dubious financial operations is a step in the interpretation of these remarks that we will not take, although it should be noted that the administrative authorizations for the renovation work on this place were signed by the city’s services.
However, the pleadings of the former (but still at the helm) mayor do not stop there: “This decision is unjust because, by judging it completely opportune that the places of worship in Nice are insufficient, the State forgets that we have in this city, in less than 8 years, supported according to the law 13 dignified places of worship for Muslim worshippers, while ensuring safety regulations. At the same time, we have obtained the closure of those that pertain to basement or garage Islam or were occupied by Salafists.”
A fighter at heart, Christian Estrosi persists and maintains his unyielding position of opposition: “We will not sign the public opening decree and will continue to request the Prefect’s signature on the declaration of public utility to make a nursery there.”
A precarious but politically necessary position in the face of criticisms (which one can already imagine being aggressive in tone and abrasive in content) from the National Front, identity version.
And let’s be clear, Christian Estrosi, a former athlete who doesn’t like to lose, sees this as a stinging legal defeat.
