“It is up to any public body to ensure the neutrality of the public service”, justifies Alain Carignon, former mayor of Grenoble (Isère). The opposition group “civil society, various right, center” of which he is president filed a complaint this Friday against the ecologist councilor Éric Piolle, for his supposed contradictory position following the recent decision of the Council of State prohibiting the wearing of burkinis.
According to him, “Éric Piolle contravenes the decision of the highest French administrative court” by having “expressly authorized the intrusion into the Grenoble swimming pool of women in burkinis”, on July 28.
The entry of three women in fitted coverings into the Jean Bron swimming pool sparked an outcry from municipal opposition at the end of July, with floods of reactions on social networks.
Difference made between “Burkini” and “full suit”
The mayor considers on the contrary that the authorized entries in the municipal swimming pools are in conformity with the decision of the Council of State prohibiting the female combinations intended for the Orthodox Muslims with skirt but not the combinations adjusted to the body. The town hall had however affirmed that everything was done in respect of the decisions of the administrative court and the Council of State concerning the regulations of its municipal swimming pools, since the authorized covering jerseys did not have skirts and were therefore not burkinis. This question of clothing has been agitating the political world since the Grenoble city council modified the rules of procedure for municipal swimming pools on May 16.