A gift from King Mohammed VI is controversial in France

The great mosque project in Metz, already marked by many controversies, has just experienced a new twist. A donation of one million euros from King Mohammed VI was revealed, arousing strong reactions and reviving the debate on foreign influence and secularism.

The Union of secular families in Moselle (Ufal 57) is concerned about this significant sum paid by the Moroccan sovereign. For Matthieu Gatipon-Bachette, president of the association, “we perceive an interference”. He wonders about the king’s motivations and the impact of this gift on the independence of the mosque. “What worries us is the influence of Morocco on the project,” he said.