Michel Houllebecq

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Michel Houllebecq, Source: Europe1

Michel Houllebecq is a controversial French novelist. According to one source, he frequently criticises 'liberalism, feminism and religion. Particularly religion, and especially Islam'.[1]

Views

On Islam

In 2002 Houllebecq was charged with inciting racial or religious hatred after calling Islam 'the most stupid of religions' but was acquitted in court.[1]

Activities

His sixth novel Submission, scheduled to be published in English in September 2015 is set in 2022, and imagines France electing its first Muslim president.[1]. As a consequence, in the novel 'immediately all women go veiled in the street, state secondary schools adopt an Islamic curriculum, and [the protagonist] François is informed that he cannot return to his university work unless he converts to Islam.'[2] Critics argued that this narrative was fear-mongering and accused him of fomenting Islamophobia.[3]

Likely due to this theme, Houellebecq was featured on the cover of Charlie Hebdo, the French magazine where 12 people were murdered on on 7 January 2015, shortly before the attacks. Houellebecq reportedly 'postponed promotional work and retreated to an unspecified location' following the attacks.[1]

The storyline bears comparison to Bat Ye'or's Eurabia conspiracy theory which argues that Muslims will become a majority and force non-Muslims to live according to a strict interpretation of Islam.

In a previous Houllebecq novel, Platform, two characters are murdered by Muslims, reportedly described in the book as 'clots' in the 'blood vessels' of Europe.[3]

Notes