If you were to ask a 1980s American movie scriptwriter how to represent a Frenchman, he would probably describe him wearing a gilet and beret, holding a baguette and with a cigarette in the side of his mouth, while complaining about the price of camembert. In the same way, if you were to ask the French establishment how they would represent a French Muslim, they would likely come up with a similarly archaic description. This is, in part, why Muslims and Islam are a key topic at every French presidential election, just like the economy or healthcare.
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