Emlyn Pearce
Since Sadiq Khan’s election as Mayor of London, many people seem to be suggesting that no Muslim city would ever be open-minded enough to elect a Christian as mayor.
So, in the interests of accuracy, and because FACTS ARE OUR FRIENDS, I present a list of some of the many Christians who have done just what Mr Khan has done – been elected to high office in Muslim countries where they are a religious minority:
* In 2005 Alees Salman became the first Christian and first woman to chair Bahrain’s upper house of Parliament. Bahrain is 70% Muslim.
* Pakistan currently has a Christian minister of ports and shipping, Kamran Michael. Pakistan is 96.4% Muslim.
* The Turkish city of Mardin recently elected its first female Christian mayor, Februniye Akyol. Turkey is 96.5% Muslim.
* Boutros Boutros Ghali, a coptic Christian and former head of the UN, was Egypt’s Foreign Minister for 14 years. Egypt is 90% Muslim.
* The capital of the world’s most populous Muslim country, Indonesia, has a Christian governor, Basuki Tjahaya Purnama. Indonesia is 87.2% Muslim.
* Senegal had a Catholic president, Léopold Sédar Senghor, for 20 years. Senegal is 92% Muslim.
* Lebanon had a Christian president, Michel Suleiman, from 2008-2014. Lebanon is 54% Muslim.
* The mayor of Ramallah, the capital of Palestine, is Janet Mikhail, a Roman Catholic (thanks to Jason Faulkner for that one!).
It is fantastic that London has resisted the tide of Islamophobia sweeping our culture to elect a mayor based on his policies and personal qualities, but let’s not pretend that ‘western’ countries are the only places where religious minorities can be elected to office.
On the other hand, it would be irresponsible to suggest that no countries have restrictions on the religion of those who attain public office. Some countries have laws explicitly stating that the Head of State must belong to one particular religion, a form of religious bigotry that is unacceptable in the 21st century.
One such country is Britain, where the law states that the monarch must be a Christian Protestant.
Source :Facebook page of Emlyn Pearce
A human only can become a mayor of a city where human live, not an animal. Why not you think that way. Why discriminate people. Stop this nonsense. One simple person’s thought shake a country, some times.
In all these cities,minorities of country is in majority,minorities are those who are underpopoulated wrt to nation ok.so use ur mind plz.
why dont u write about kashmir valley exclusively ???
why no kashmiri pandit is MLA in srinagar??
for the same reason as there are no muslim mla from jammu
The comment about the British monarch hows how little the author knows about British law and history. The British monarch is also the head of the Anglican Church, which is why they must be a protestant Christian. Having a British Monarch who isn’t Protestant is as nonsensical as having a Caliph who isn’t Muslim.
Is london is christian nation? Dont overstate please. Is he became mayor of Vatican?
and has he adopted Islamic sharia to govern London?