- France edition
- Change edition:
- Germany |
- Norway |
- Sweden |
- Switzerland
May 17, 2012
Photo credit: Rungis food market, by Myrabella
Le Pen's halal meat claims attacked
Published: 21 Feb 2012 08:36 GMT+1
Online: http://www.thelocal.fr/2628/20120221/
On a visit to Paris' main meat market on Tuesday morning, President Sarkozy rejected the claims of far-right Front National leader Marine Le Pen that all meat consumed in the Ile-de-France region is halal, without consumers being aware.
Le Pen made her claim at the weekend when she said the meat distributed in France's most populous region, which includes the capital, is "exclusively" halal.
She added that "all the abattoirs in the Ile-de-France sell halal meat, without exception."
Halal means lawful in Arabic and can be used to describe meat that has been prepared in accordance with Islamic law.
Le Pen was repeating claims made in a TV documentary in which François Hallepée, the head of Ile-de-France cattle breeders, said all abattoirs in the region were slaughtering according to Muslim ritual.
President Sarkozy made an unscheduled early morning visit to the Rungis food market outside Paris on Tuesday morning where he said Le Pen's claims were "groundless."
"We eat 200,000 tonnes of meat every year in the Ile-de-France and only 2.5 percent is halal," he said.
The agriculture minister also criticised Le Pen's remarks, describing them as "false."
The Rungis market in Paris' southern suburbs is a popular campaign stop for presidential candidates. The site covers 232 hectares and 13,000 people work there every day.
The market is said to be the largest food market in the world. It became the hub for French food in 1969 after the famous original market in Les Halles, immortalised in novels such as Emile Zola's "The Belly of Paris", was unable to cope with demand.
What do you think? Leave your comment below.
Fark It!
Digg This
Share everywhere
Send to a friend
Printable version
Twitter This
Photo credit: Margaux L'Hermite
Hollande has turbulent first day
Francois Hollande had quite a first day as French president: swearing in, Champs Elysees parade in torrential rain, then a lightning strike to his plane en route to meet the world's most powerful woman.
READ »
COMMENT »
Photo credit: Jean-Marc Ayrault
Hollande names new prime minister
French President Francois Hollande named Jean-Marc Ayrault, the head of the Socialist bloc in parliament and mayor of Nantes, as his prime minister on Tuesday.
READ »
COMMENT »
Photo credit: Margaux L'Hermite
Hollande to take over French presidency
Socialist Francois Hollande will be sworn in as France's president on Tuesday before naming a prime minister and dashing to Germany to battle with Berlin over how to tackle Europe's debt crisis.
READ »
COMMENT »
Photo credit: WTO
One year on: things only get worse for DSK
On Monday, exactly a year will have passed since Dominique Strauss Kahn's arrest on charges of trying to rape a maid in a luxury New York hotel room.
READ »
COMMENT »
Photo credit: PuzzleScot/The hull of UK aircraft carrier HMS Queen Elizabeth at Rosyth Dockyard, Scotland
France: UK jet change 'threatens carrier deal'
France said Friday it regretted Britain's decision to reverse its choice of fighter jets for future aircraft carriers, with the result that French warplanes will no longer be able to use the ships.
READ (1 comments) »
COMMENT »
Hollande-Merkel meeting: no decisions expected
German Chancellor Angela Merkel will hold talks on the eurozone crisis with French President Francois Hollande in Berlin on Tuesday after his inauguration, her spokesman said.
READ »
COMMENT »
Photo credit: Dirk Vorderstraße
Germany: Europe's fiscal deal 'still stands'
German Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle on Friday warned that new elections did not invalidate European Union's deal on tighter fiscal policy.
READ »
COMMENT »
Hollande's wealth: less bling than Sarkozy
President-elect Francois Hollande does not own a car or shares, but is still far from the breadline, according to his new wealth declaration.
READ (1 comments) »
COMMENT »
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
UKForex Currency Converter |
- 16/05 Two held for shooting imam in northern Sweden »
- 16/05 Comedian Al Pitcher in the Local Lockdown »
More news from Sweden at thelocal.se
- 16/05 Merkel kicks out minister after election disaster »
- 16/05 Holiday weather offers little to celebrate »
More news from Germany at thelocal.de
- 26/03 Swiss customs seize Roman sarcophagus »
- 26/03 Roche extends hostile $5.7 billion Illumina bid »
More news from Switzerland at thelocal.ch
More news from Norway at thelocal.no
Your comments about this article:
The comments below have not been moderated in advance and are not produced by The Local unless clearly stated. Readers are responsible for the content of their own comments. Comments that breach our terms and conditions will be removed.