By: V4 Agency
A Muslim politician has announced his candidacy for the presidential elections, scheduled for 2022 spring, on an Islamic website and in a video message, a move unprecedented in the country’s history. Moreover, the man praised two disbanded radical Islamist groups while calling France a sick republic which has sunk into inexorable general decay.
France has never seen a Muslim politician running for president until now. Nagib Azergui, the founder and leader of the Democratic Union of Muslims in France (UDMF) party, has announced that he will run in the election, which is due in a few months’ time. The news was reported by the Islamist news portal Oumma.com, but Azergui also announced his candidacy in a video message. He explained his decision by voicing his belief that a dangerous identity shift is unfolding in French politics.
The politician began his speech by describing France as a sick republic which has sunk into inexorable general decay, citing as examples the surge in poverty, the economic gap between rich and poor and the dying health system.
The presidential candidate also pointed out that the fundamental freedoms of French people have eroded recently. Among the examples he mentioned two Islamist groups, the French anti-Islamophobia organisation CCIF and the Barakacity, which were disbanded by the interior minister for spreading radical Islamist views.
Mr Azergui said that UDMF, the party led by him, was gaining influence in French political life, as 747 of its candidates were elected in the regional and provincial elections held in June 2021.
According to the Muslim politician, the situation is serious and the time for action has come. After decades of politics influenced by the Le Pen family, the French Republic has been dealt the final blow by Zemmour’s extremist madness, which is more dangerous than ever. He added that the only possible reaction to this wave of hatred was to make the voice of the oppressed, French Muslims and citizens disillusioned with a corrupt political system, heard.
The UDMF party also aims to field 100 candidates in the next parliamentary elections.
In a laconic tweet, Mr Azergui commented on the article about his presidential candidacy by writing that he would not betray his fellow countrymen like Macron did.
