Wearing a headscarf in the realm of public services is business of the state: Macron

Anadolu Agency

The French president has said the wearing of the headscarf by Muslim women in public spaces is not the business of the state.

Emmanuel Macron was visiting the French overseas territory of the Reunion Island on Thursday when he spoke to reporters about the Muslim headscarf issue, which has been a source of heated debates in France.

"The wearing of the headscarf in public places is not my business, however, in the realm of public services, at school and while educating children, the headscarf issue is my business. That is what secularism is about," Macron said.

Macron said the problem of Islam had to be solved in France.

"In some neighborhoods, some people use the headscarf as a symbol to break away from the republic," he said.

Two weeks ago, French far-right lawmaker Julien Odoul requested from a Muslim woman to take off her veil in a meeting in the eastern town of Besançon and attacked her verbally.

In an open letter to Macron published in the Le Monde daily last week, 90 academics, directors, actors and journalists called on the president to condemn Odoul's attack against the Muslim woman.