The Turkish Islamist Milli Görüş movement (National Vision) contradicts French values and has no place in France, French government spokesperson Gabriel Attal said in an interview with BFM TV.
“I believe that this organisation, which contradicts the values of the (French) Republic, which fights against the values of the Republic, against the equality of women and men, is opposed to human dignity,” said Gabriel Attal. “It is obvious that it should not carry out activities and exist in the Republic,” he added.
Milli Görüş was founded by supporters of Turkey’s former prime minister Necmettin Erbakan, and it is ideologically close to the ruling “Justice and Development” party.
It is reported to have up to 300,000 members across Europe, making it one of the largest organisations of the Turkish diaspora.
Last week, France’s Interior Ministry announced that it was opposed to the decision of the Strasbourg authorities to grant Milli Görüş a grant of 2.5 million euros for the construction of a mosque in the city.
According to French Interior Minister Gérald Darmanin, the organisation refused to sign the new government charter aimed at countering religious extremism, and therefore should not be allocated funding.
