French Court Finds Favorable Lease To Mosque Violates Church-State Limits

In France, the Marseille administrative court on Tuesday ordered renegotiation of a lease of city land, finding that its mere 300 Euros per year rent amounted to a disguised subsidy of religion that violates French law on separation of church and state. The order came in a suit brought by the right wing National Front (FN), the Movement for France (MPF) and the National Republican Movement (MNR), challenging the lease for land on which a Great Mosque will be built in Marseille. France 24 reported yesterday that city officials promised a revised lease would be submitted to city council in June. Meanwhile, funds to actually build the mosque must be raised from private sources, with foreign funding limited to 20% to 30% of the total.