French politician calls for funding mosques

10/29/2004 11:14:00 AM GMT

France's finance minister, a presidential hopeful, said that mosques need to be state funded, adding that it was time to end the century-old law that bans financing religious groups, according to excerpts of a newly published book.

In his book "The Republic, Religions, Hope," Nicolas Sarkozy says that extremism is festering in underground mosques and that Islamic groups don't have the money needed to build houses of worship.

"What is dangerous is not minarets, but caves and garages that keep clandestine religious groups hidden," Sarkozy says in the book, according to excerpts published in Le Monde.

Unlike the history of Jewish and Christian groups in France, Islam is relatively new here and needs a helping hand, Sarkozy added.

"In light of our past experiences and our errors, let us prove our modesty and tolerance," Sarkozy said. "Have we already forgotten our crusades?"

The proposal to change the old law that bans state funding for Islamic groups is expected to spark controversy in France.

Sarkozy's book and its proposals highlights the politician's rivalry with French President Jacques Chirac.

Sarkozy is expected to quit the Finance Ministry to take over leadership of Chirac's ruling Union for a Popular Movement party in November.

Sarkozy never hid his presidential ambitions and could be one of Chirac's main rivals in elections in 2007 if the president seeks a third term.

Le Figaro newspaper cast Sarkozy's mosque proposal as a timely political move.

"Nicolas Sarkozy thinks – and who would say he's wrong on this point – that there is no challenge more crucial for French society . . . than integrating the millions of Muslims living here," the paper said last week.

"It will definitely be a subject of great controversy for the presidential election," the paper said.