French Council of the Muslim Faith
The Conseil français du culte musulman ( CFCM ) is an Islamic umbrella association in France. It was founded on 28 May 2003. Besides the headquarters exist 25 regional councils in accordance with the 26 regions of the country (French: Conseil Regional du Culte Musulman, CRCM ).
Correspondences there are among Catholics, Protestants, and Jews: The Catholic Church in the country is represented by the Episcopal Conference, the Protestants central israélite by the Protestant Federation, the Jews by the Consistoire.
Formation
The CFCM was founded in 2003 with the support of the then French Interior Minister Nicolas Sarkozy has long been recognized as a de facto representation of Muslims in France. These come mainly from Algeria and Morocco.
At the foundation laid down the Home Office that the rector of the Great Mosque of Paris, Dalil Boubakeur, on demand irrespective of the outcome of the elections for President of the CFCM. Is a founding member among other Soheib Bencheikh. Since the election of 8 June 2008, the Moroccan Mohammed Moussaoui is President of the Council.
Tasks
The CFCM acts, among others, the mosque, the development of guidelines for trade in halal products, the training of imams, the organization of the pilgrimage ( Hajj / Umrah ) and the establishment of a Muslim prison and hospital chaplaincy as well as in the army with. It also sets the fast days firmly in the month of Ramadan.
Criticism
Critics argued that according to the principles of secularism no need for a formal representation of religious groups insist that dominant social dialogue.
Observers fear that, given the lean operating balance of the CFCM and the rivalry between the organizations distrust of the young generation against the CFCM will increase and the CFCM is perceived only as an instance in the service of foreign countries and as a gathering of notables.
2003
Even before the election in April of this year, the French Minister of the Interior had negotiated that the president of the Islamic Council to be elected, the liberal head of the Algerian Mosque Municipality of Paris, Dalil Boubakeur should be. From 41 seats six seats went to the Algerian -dominated Federation of Great Mosque of Paris (GMP ), 16 mandates won the supported of Morocco "National Federation of Muslims of France" ( FNMF ) and 13 seats accounted for the current as Islamist " Union of Islamic Associations of France " ( UOIF ). Independent Lists and representatives of the Overseas Departments of Réunion shared another six seats among themselves. 22 other deputies had been determined in advance by the French authorities. It was not until 2005, all representatives are elected. The 16- member Board of Directors, who heads the Islamic Council, however, was determined in December 2002 by the French government - as well as the two deputies Boubakeurs that are provided by the FNME and the UOIF.
Of the total of 1342 mosques in the republic were 992 involved in the election. Critically, it was noted that the number of delegates to be elected in the mosques was not directed to the number of believers united by them, but by the size of the mosque floor plan. Among the 4032 delegates, there was not a woman.
2008
The work of the CFCM was paralyzed in the first five years, mostly by internal rivalries.
The Moroccans won both elections (then under the name FNMF ) and are now under the name of "gathering of Muslims in France " (RMF ) to. Interior Minister Michèle Alliot -Marie failed in Algiers and Rabat, in an attempt to renew this "deal". The CFCM was thus before the first open election.
Although the Great Mosque in Paris ( GMP) represents the symbolic center of Islam in France, it is said is beside the Moroccan dominated RMF and the UOIF, close to the Muslim Brotherhood, only the third strongest group. The Algerian -dominated GMP threatened to boycott the upcoming election.
The election was as expected from the RMF ( than competing organization FNMF the de facto replaced) won and appointed the President of the RMF as president of the CFCM. The GMP held in protest at the distribution of the number of delegates at its election boycott fixed.
The pressure for it to have come from the Algerian government, which demanded the chair of the CFCM in the name of the old French-Algerian relations. The election on June 9, was won by the RMF with 43.2 % of votes in the UOIF ( 30.2% ) and the CCMTF ( Turkish Muslims, 12.7 %).