Stance on burkini bansThe burkini bans this summer exemplified the lack of an alternative -- beyond stigmatization and exclusion -- that politicians are willing to put forward in France. In France, this race to the bottom within the mainstream has allowed Le Pen and the Front National to take the back seat. However, it would be wrong to assume that this normalization of Islamophobia in France is simply the result of a panicked reaction from politicians following deeply traumatic events. The recent explosion of Islamophobia in mainstream political discourse is the result of decades of stigmatization towards Muslim communities in France, starting with the hijab affair in the late 1980s. Such a diversion has proven a blessing for mainstream politicians as they have failed to offer their people (including the minorities they willfully stigmatize) more hopeful avenues for politics.

Source: CNN November 21, 2016 16:39 UTC