The director of the an Islamic cultural centre in Milan on Wednesday declared he will run for mayor of the industrial city in Italy’s north making him the first Muslim mayoral candidate of a major Italian city.
Abdel Hamid Shaari, who runs the Islamic centre that is also known as the Mosque of Viala Jenner, told Adnkronos International (AKI) that he will be the candidate for mayor on a list that includes Italians and immigrants in the March local elections.
He will hold a press conference in Milan on Thursday to make an official announcement about his list named “New Milan.”
Shaari stressed that that he should not be considered a religious candidate.
“Our list has lay and non-religious candidates,” he said.
Milan had 208,021 immigrants making up 16 percent of its population, according to a September report by the Milan city council. Many of the immigrants are Muslims from North Africa.
Milan and much of Italy’s north is the stronghold of the Northern League anti-immigrant political party.