The French Algerians moving to Algeria ‘seeking freedom, opportunity’
What was once a one-way street heading north is now a two-lane highway with some people heading south out of France. Fafa finally feels free in her attire, long scarves and abayas covering her head to toe. The 28-year-old can wear them today in Algeria without the trouble she would have faced in France, her country of origin which she decided to quit in 2016, seeking more religious freedom. Third-generation French Fafa, who comes from a Muslim family, says she never felt uncomfortable in France until she decided to become a practising Muslim as an adult. According to German online portal Statista, there are more than 5.4 million Muslim French people, about 8 percent of the population. “When I discovered Islam, I naturally adopted a religious lifestyle in line with my principles, and since then, I no longer felt at home in France,” she tells Al Jazeera. “We could easily end up being snubbed, insulted, even attacked. We’re asked to change our lifestyle. We’re prevented from doing certa