Presidential candidate Sarkozy favours nationwide burkini ban

Nicholas Sarkozy says he will impose a nationwide ban on burkinis if re-elected to the presidency in 2017, positioning himself as a strong defender of French values and tough on immigration. Taking a hard line on the burkini debate that has agitated France over recent weeks, Sarkozy said that the full-body swimwear should be banned from beaches across the country.

″I refuse to let the burkini impose itself in French beaches and swimming pools … there must be a law to ban it throughout the republic′s territory,″ he said to wide applause.

Najat Vallaud-Belkacem, one of the Socialist government′s leading feminist voices, told Europe 1 radio that the proliferation of burkini bans was not welcome and had ″let loose″ verbal racism.

″My dream of society is a society where women are free and proud of their bodies,″ said Vallaud-Belkacem. She warned that with tensions high after a series of terrorist attacks claimed by the Islamic State, ″we shouldn′t add oil to the fire″ by banning burkinis.    (The Guardian)