PARIS (AP) — Lawmakers in the French parliament’s lower house have overwhelmingly approved a bill that would strengthen oversight of mosques, schools and sports clubs to safeguard France from radical Islamists and to promote respect for French values. After two weeks of intense debate, the vote in the National Assembly house was the first critical hurdle for the legislation that is one of French President Emmanuel Macron’s landmark projects. The bill passed 347-151, with 65 abstentions. With France bloodied by terror attacks, few disagree that radicalization is a danger. But critics also see the proposed law as a political ploy to lure the right wing to Macron’s centrist party ahead of next year’s presidential election.
