“Islamist Separatism” in France as a Factor of Extremism

Abstract

In 2020, the notion of “Islamist separatism,” meaning the non-recognition of the fundamental principles of the French Republic by a part of the French population and expressed in the creation of a “parallel counter-society”, was firmly entered into the French political lexicon. Despite the fact that the term “Islamist separatism” has drawn sharp criticism from a number of politicians and public figures as in France as abroad, it seems to us that this phenomenon really exists and not only challenges the secular foundations of the French state but also creates a quite tangible threat to security (I.e. in the form of terrorist activities). A number of terrorist acts carried out by militant Islamists in France look like a logical development of the “Islamist separatism” tendency. Moreover, not only France, but also a number of other European countries are faced with the phenomenon of “Islamist separatism”, but namely France has a pronounced specificity in this context, associated with the emphatically secular nature of the state. In this regard, it is important to understand the reasons that contribute to the emergence of “Islamist separatism”, which lie in various levels – from social and economic problems to socio-cultural and religious aspects. A separate problem is the potential for conflict, which contains “Islamist separatism” that threatens public peace and harmony and serves as a catalyst for the growth of nationalist and right-wing radical sentiments in French society. In this regard, it is important to use flexible and comprehensive measures to counter “Islamist separatism” (a combination of “hard power” and “soft power” instruments).