The French debate between the presidential candidates Emmanuel Macron and Marine Le Pen was almost a debate on the Syrian issue, or so it looked like when it came to discussing the file of security and terrorism as it is the most delicate file to play on the French voter.
After talking about the economic file, which is the priority for the French, Macron and Le Pen have moved directly to their security and counterterrorism program. Le Pen defended its traditional doctrine of fighting what it calls fundamental Islam focusing on the Union of Islamic Organizations in France (UOIF), the collective Islamic institution.
Le Pen described UOIF as an extremist association that supports those who express their hatred of Jews and homosexuals, calling for the closure of fundamentalist mosques and the expulsion of Islamic fundamentalists (not named other fundamentalists).
Le Pen went so far as to say that UOIF is an extremist Islamic organization that supports Macron and hosts and supports all figures who call for hatred of Jews, homosexuals and infidels. She told Macron: "You are deceiving us, you are among them(fundamentalist).
For his part, Macron responded to her argument saying she claims to fight extremism, but did not vote on the European legislation that aims at fighting extremism. Macron promised the fight against terrorism is a top priority, and to ban UOIF if they held an activity, a statement, opposing the laws of the Republic of France.
Macron invited his opponent if she had something against UOIF to file a formal complaint against them, so that the appropriate action would be taken against them. But Le Pen did not respond to that, speaking instead about the Syrian preacher Rateb al-Nabulsi who was present at a UOIF conference in 2016, and demanded the execution of homosexuals, according to the French candidate.
In the heart of his heated discussion with her rival, Macron tackled the links between ISIS and the world's largest cement producer, Lafarge, which was previously published by Zaman Al Wasl newspaper. The French public opinion was so upset by the news that Lafarge pushed for an internal investigation that led to the recognition of the truth of the Zaman al-Wasl investigations. The head of the giant group recently stepped down.
The presidential debate consumed nearly two and a half hours, about half an hour of which was devoted to the issue of security and terrorism. Both candidates try to win the French presidency. Le Pen came second to Macron in the first round by a narrow margin, to climb with him to the crucial round on Sunday.
