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A local councilor belonging to France’s far-right Front National party seemingly embarrassed his colleagues by announcing that he had converted to Islam and urging others to join him.
Twenty-two-year-old Maxence Buttey councilor, in the Parisian suburb of Noisy-le-Grand, reportedly embarrassed members of his anti-immigration party by sending a video in which he praises the “visionary” virtues of the Koran and urged his colleagues to also take to Islam. Buttey said that his party and Islam had a lot in common.
“Both are demonised and very far from the image portrayed in the media. 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”, he told French daily Le Parisien.
Local party secretary Jordan Bardella said that Buttey had been suspended from a regional committee.
“Religion is a private choice which I respect but it must not enter into the sphere of our political activities. The proselytising video which Maxence sent out is unacceptable”, Bardella said.
Buttey still remains a member of the party and a municipality councilor, a post from which he can’t be removed by the party.
“Some of my voters will be disappointed by my choice. But I’m ready to explain to them that Islam has a mission to unite all men and women”, Buttey said.
He also said that he found it hard to believe in the “official version of the 9/11 attacks, saying that he had doubts over the “Merah affair” – al-Qaeda inspired Frenchman Mohammed Merah had killed seven people in France in 2012.
He also said that he was “against the niqab [full-face veil]” and that Islam does not call for believers “to cut off heads as the Islamic State group does”.Buttey said that he converted after meeting with an imam on his campaign trail.
“I was Catholic but when I reread the Bible I noticed all its inconsistencies. When I read the Koran thoroughly, I understood that this religion is more open”, he said.