Key points
- I support the Olympic Charter: Macron
- The Charter prohibits display of all religious symbols
- He dismissed idea of referendum to reverse pension reform
ISLAMABAD: France President Emmanuel Macron expressed support Tuesday for a ban on headscarves in sports competitions.
“I support the Olympic Charter, which prohibits the display of all religious symbols during competitions,” Macron stated in an interview with broadcaster TF1.
He made a clear distinction between practising sport in facilities and taking part in official competitions, emphasising that it is up to individual sporting federations to decide whether to enforce such a ban, according to Anadolu Ajansi.
“When you’re competing, that’s not the place for religious symbols,” he said, urging a “pragmatic” approach, as current French law does not expressly forbid it.
Holding referendums
Macron also addressed questions about holding referendums on key issues such as immigration, pension reform, assisted dying, and public finances.
He expressed openness to the idea of organising multiple referendums in the coming months.
“The idea is to consult our fellow citizens on major economic or social reforms. Between now and June, the government will present several proposals, and I will then decide which ones could be subject to a referendum,” he explained.
While he dismissed the idea of a referendum to reverse the controversial pension reform that raised the retirement age to 64 and expressed scepticism about the effectiveness of a vote on immigration, Macron did not rule out the possibility of holding a referendum on assisted dying “in the event of a deadlock”, or on matters concerning public finances.
