ALL NATIONALISMS ARE THE SAME:

Both leaders' battles with Islam illustrate the way in which they want to increase their control. Orbán is a coarse opportunist. He rails against 'Muslim invaders' to appeal to the more base instincts of voters, but tones this down in other speeches. He has praised Muslims and their contribution to the world in culture, mathematics and medicine but has made it clear he thinks the best place for these Muslims is somewhere other than Europe. His belief in religious freedom seems to be limited to that of Christianity.

In a way, Macron could not be more different: he is a typical advocate of French secularism. But Macron too is uneasy with Islam and has set out a route to make Muslim practice a matter for state regulation. He has asked Muslim leaders to agree to a 'charter of republican values' as part of a broad clampdown on radical Islam. But the charter vilifies Muslims who live by traditionalist values and have nothing to do with the country's terrorists, who become radicalized outside France's Muslim community. Restricting the freedom of faith of some Muslims on the grounds that they don't preach sexual freedom and gender equality is illiberal: it's the government taking charge of people's souls.

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