Pascal Boniface calls Karim Bouamrane an “appearing Muslim” and sparks a controversy

POLITICS – Karim Bouamrane, a Muslim in appearance? In any case, this is the term used by geopolitical researcher Pascal Boniface this Sunday, October 20, after the appearance on France 2 of the socialist mayor of Saint-Ouen, in Seine-Saint-Denis.

The rising star of the left whose name was circulated for a time for Matignon after the legislative elections was the guest of What an era! Léa Salamé’s magazine. Karim Bouamrane notably returned to the war between Israel and Hamas which, according to him, was “imported into France for electoral purposes”.

Here he takes up the criticisms made of France Insoumise, a member of the left-wing NFP coalition like the Socialist Party. LFI openly denounces Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and provides very clear support to Gazans. The party’s ambiguities, which place Hamas and Israel back to back, have irritated even its own ranks.

Bouamrane anti-Mélenchon

On France 2, Karim Bouamrane does not hide his differences with Jean-Luc Mélenchon on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict (among others). However, he still says he is a member of the NFP. Enough to question the guests around the set, notably the former Minister of Health Roselyne Bachelot, who wonders why he did not cut ties with LFI and left the NFP. “The problem is not me. Why should I be the one to leave? »he replied.

This passage pushed Pascal Boniface to write about X: “Honestly, I wonder about this man who I don’t know personally. Is he an example of meritocracy? So well done! Or exploited like an apparently Muslim who does not criticize Netanyahu and therefore benefits from big media promotion. I’m waiting to see. » He implies that Karim Bouamrane, son of Moroccan immigrants, should defend Gaza given his origins.

The expression did not please Karim Bouamrane at all, who replied: “After 3 hours of broadcasting, after 30 years of commitment to the left; elected official of the Republic since 1995, this is how a researcher qualifies me and definitively disqualifies himself. The fight against essentialization continues! Long live the Republic! Long live France! »

The socialist received the support of many other political figures, notably the First Secretary of the Socialist Party Olivier Faure. “No one should be assigned to a supposed religious or cultural identity. No one should prejudge what a Muslim, a Jew, a Christian or an atheist may think. Even less judge that a position could make one appear to be a Muslim. he estimated on X.

Macronist Benjamin Haddad in support

“The assignment of identity is the opposite of our republican pact”also denounced the Minister Delegate for Europe, the Macronist Benjamin Haddad. Former Minister of Transport Clément Beaune, for his part, described Pascal Boniface’s comments as ” ashamed “.

The socialist mayor of Rouen Nicolas Mayer-Rossignol, that of Saint-Denis Mathieu Hanotin, the senators Rachid Témal and Rémi Cardon… They also rushed to the aid of the councilor of Saint-Ouen. The host Arthur, for his part, wrote about X wanting to bring his “total support” to Karim Bouamrane.

Faced with the outcry, Pascal Boniface himself, a former member of the PS, responded in another tweet. “I just wonder about your background, your media success and wonder if it is linked to modesty about the wars in the Middle East. I think your aggressive response clarifies things”he blurted out, concluding his words with a « merci ».

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