French far-right National Front leader and presidential candidate Marine Le Pen canceled a meeting with Lebanon’s grand mufti, the top Sunni Muslim cleric, after she was asked to put on a headscarf.
Reuters reports that Le Pen told reporters, “You can pass on my respects to the grand mufti, but I will not cover myself up.”
The grand mufti’s press office was reportedly “surprised by her refusal,” as aides were allegedly informed about the requirement to wear a headscarf before the meeting.
ABC News reports Le Pen had previously told the cleric’s office that she would not wear the headscarf to the meeting.
“They didn’t cancel the meeting, so I thought they would accept the fact that I wouldn’t wear one,” Le Pen explained. “They tried to impose it upon me.”
In a statement, the grand mufti’s office called the headscarf “protocol” and said, “The mufti's office regrets this inappropriate behavior in such meeting.”
Le Pen was reportedly in Lebanon in order to “bolster her presidential credentials.”
Le Pen has come out in favor of banning religious coverings in public, including burkas and yarmulkes.