"Losing Talent" Criticism
6 Million Muslims, 10% of Population
"Whatever we do, whatever efforts we make, we are bound by our origin and religious identity. Because of this, there are limits to building a career."
Harun (pseudonym), an investment banker from Bordeaux and a graduate of a prestigious business school, said he is currently considering immigrating to an English-speaking country. He confessed that he felt the social perception of Muslims gradually growing colder after the 2015 Charlie Hebdo terror attack and the Paris series of terrorist attacks.
The French daily Le Monde reported on the 18th (local time) that due to accumulated discrimination and distrust against Muslims in France, socioeconomically stable Muslims are increasingly considering immigration. Since the war between Israel and Hamas began last October, hostility toward Muslims has intensified, leading to growing skepticism about French society.
Samir (pseudonym), a civil servant who has worked for 15 years in northern France, shared similar feelings. He said, "I believed in the success of the Republic, but I was wrong. When Muslims live in suburban outskirts, people think we will cause trouble, and when we leave the outskirts, they suspect we are trying to infiltrate the Republic."
He added, "I had to show pictures of my wife in a swimsuit at the beach to prove that I am not a fundamentalist." This is to hide religious and cultural beliefs to avoid unnecessary suspicion.
Julien Talpin, a researcher at the French National Centre for Scientific Research (CNRS), explained, "It is certain that tens of thousands have left France in recent years, and among those who left, 50% had at least five years of higher education." France has the largest Muslim population in Europe, with about 6 million Muslims, approximately 10% of the population.
Youssef (pseudonym), a local civil servant and social activist, said, "People listen to the currents of Islamic radicalism, but they do not hear the Islamophobia we talk about. France is losing many talented individuals it has nurtured over time."
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