Religion aas public role to play in France, Sarkozy says

France’s separation of church and state doesn’t block religious leaders from taking part in public debates, President Nicolas Sarkozy said.

“People should take the trouble now and again to read the exact wording of our constitution,” Sarkozy said. “It does not say that religions - as long as they obey the law - are banned from expression. I reject all fundamentalist views, including those of secular fundamentalists who would banish all references to religion from the public sphere.”

In his speech, he denounced recent acts of vandalism against Muslim cemetaries and a synagogue.