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A controversial amendment to the ‘Loi Sapin II’ was withdrawn this week. “Some ideological groups attempt to reduce the voice of religions in the public space”, explains evangelical representative.
A view of Paris, in France. / RobinTphoto (Flickr, CC)
Evangelical ministers and leaders of other religious will not be labelled as “lobbyists” in France. A controversial amendment to the law known as “Loi Sapin II” was withdrawn this week.
The section 1 of the bill “contains provisions for the creation of a national electronic register of representatives of interests in order to supervise their practices”, the official website of the French government explains.
The amendment number 488 would have included religious ministers in this register.
ATTEMPTS TO EXCLUDE FAITH FROM PUBLIC SPACE
Thierry Le Gall of the CNEF.French evangelical Christians have responded with relief. “The law would have given evangelical pastors, priests, imams and other ministers, a status of lobbyists”, the National Council of Evangelicals in France Communications Director Thierry Le Gall has told Evangelical Focus.
“This law would have developed into a distrust regarding pastors, who would have been gradually classified and registered in national files as political influencers”.
In France, where secularism has been strong for decades, the proposed amendment was a “part of the regular attempts by some political and ideological groups that aim to reduce the influence and the voice of religions in the public space”, Le Gall concluded.
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Opinions expressed are those of their respective contributors and do not necessarily represent the views of Evangelical Focus.
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