Louis Aliot, the mayor (RN) of Perpignan, confirmed on BFMTV this Tuesday morning the presence of a nativity scene in the Pyrénées-Orientales prefecture. But if he answers “of course” to Apolline de Malherbe when the journalist asks him if he is going to “put the crèche back in the town hall”, the councilor explains that this time it will not be positioned inside the town hall. town hall, but “on the public highway”, in front of the town hall. An implementation which will perhaps be less controversial.
The subject is recurring. The question of nativity scenes comes up every year in several cities led by elected officials from the National Rally or close to the RN. In recent years, the municipal councils of Beaucaire, led by Julien Sanchez (RN), Perpignan or Béziers, of which Robert Ménard (DVD) is the mayor, have regularly voted for the physical presence in town hall of these crèches. Decisions systematically attacked before administrative courts by associations, in the name of defending secularism. And almost as systematic convictions by the administrative court, the administrative court of appeal or the Council of State.
By positioning this crèche physically outside the town hall, Louis Aliot will perhaps escape legal proceedings. “It will be even more visible. It will please everyone, including those who spend their time typing about Christianity and French tradition but who have few words to condemn Hamas and a certain number of terrorist or Islamist organizations, mentions- he. These people on the left are sorting selectively in the fight they are waging on secularism. Nothing about radical Islam and everything against Christianity. And that bothers me deeply,” he explains.
“Selective sorting on secularism” vs. non-compliance with the 1905 law
In Perpignan, the crèche existed before the election of the National Rally majority. She had never been sued. The leader of the majority, Chantal Bruzi (DVD), was also the main donor to the public subscription opened by the municipality to finance the 1,400 euros fine. The administrative court added, to the withdrawal of the crèche, a penalty of one hundred euros per day of delay. It was finally withdrawn fourteen days after the publication of this order.
In mid-November, the municipality announced its intention to create a new pessebre. This nativity scene is typical of Catalonia, on either side of the Pyrenees. Other people mingle with those at the nativity. “But it remains a crèche with a religious character,” the defenders of the 1905 law are offended.
The League for Human Rights recalls that this law prohibits “raising or affixing any religious sign or emblem on public monuments or in any public location whatsoever, with the exception of buildings used for worship, burial plots in cemeteries, funerary monuments, as well as museums or exhibitions.”