Emmanuel Macron condemns ‘Islamic separatism’ and defends ‘right to blasphemy’

French President Emmanuel Macron speaks during a ceremony to celebrate the 150th anniversary of the proclamation of the Republic, at the Pantheon monument (Julien de Rosa/AP)

France’s President Emmanuel Macron criticised what he called “Islamic separatism” in his country and those who seek French citizenship without accepting the “right to commit blasphemy”.

Mr Macron defended satirical newspaper Charlie Hebdo, which published caricatures of the Prophet Mohammed that helped inspire two French-born Islamic extremists to mount a deadly January 2015 attack on the paper’s newsroom.