French city approves ‘burkini’ in disputed change

Grenoble: The French city of Grenoble has authorised the wearing of the so-called “burkini” by Muslim women in state-run swimming pools, reigniting one of France’s most contentious debates on religous dress.

The all-in-one swimsuit, used by some Muslim women to cover their bodies and hair while bathing, has become a controversial talking point during the holiday season in recent years.

Seen as an affront to France’s secular traditions, many rightwingers and some feminists would like to ban it outright.

It is prohibited in most state-run pools – for hygiene, not religious reasons – where strict swimwear rules apply to all, including men who are required to wear tightfitting trunks.

The move applies across the board, meaning men will be able to wear long shorts and women can also bathe topless in the Alpine city’s pools.

Grenoble’s mayor Eric Piolle, one of the country’s highest profile Green politicians who leads a broad left-wing coalition at the city council, has championed the move but ran into a fierce campaign of opposition.

He managed to rally enough votes at a city council meeting to approve the measure on Monday despite not having the support of his own EELV party, which distanced itself from the measure.

It was carried by the slimmest of margins with 29 votes for, 27 against and two abstentions after two and a half hours of tense debates.

“All we want is for women and men to be able to dress how they want,” Piolle told broadcaster RMC on Monday.

Opponents see it differently, including the influential conservative head of the wider Auvergnerhone-alpes region, Laurent Wauquiez, who has promised to withdraw funding from the city.

“I am convinced that what Mr Piolle is defending is a dreadful deadend for our country,” Wauquiez said at the beginning of May.