Culture shocks ahead: Indian Ocean island votes to become fully French
Voters on Mayotte, a tiny island in the Indian Ocean, chose by referendum Sunday to become a fully fledged part of France — a change of status that will end local traditions such as polygamy and Islamic courts.
It has a population of about 186,000 people, of whom 95 percent are Sunni Muslims. Many do not speak French and a third of the population are illegal migrants, mostly from the nearby islands which make up the independent Comoran state.
The islanders stand to gain economically from the change of status, as they will become eligible for a wider range of social benefits as well as EU funds. Paris has also promised an economic development fund to boost the island’s infrastructure.
However, residents will see their tax bills increase and have to abandon certain customs to conform to French law.
For now, men can have several wives whom they can repudiate unilaterally, and women do not have equal inheritance rights. The island has a traditional Islamic justice system with “qadis” or religious scholars who act as judges.
Mayotte will have to ban polygamy, raise the minimum age of marriage to 18 from 15 years old, and give women equal rights.
What’s in it for the French?
A new beach.
