45% of the French believe that religions ought not to be criticised and 53% fear that tensions between Christians and Muslims will increase in the years ahead. These findings emerge from a survey published in the French Catholic weekly “La Vie”. The opinion poll, conducted on 20-21 September by the polling agency CSA on a national sample of 1,004 people contacted by telephone, shows that only 5% of those interviewed are of the view that religions can be criticised without any regard for their faithful. 53% believe that religions can be criticised, but 45% support a criticism that is respectful of the convictions of believers. Practising Catholics do not express an opinion different from the average of the population. The most critical age group is that aged between 30-40, whereas the younger and older seem more moderate. Over half the interviewees think the tensions between Christians and Muslims will increase in the years ahead, against 35% who think this won’t happen and 7% who don’t express a view on the matter.
