Local Editor

Lebanon's grand Mufti Abdel-Latif Derian Tuesday declined to meet with visiting far-right French presidential candidate Marine Le Pen after she refused to wear a veil during their meeting.

"When I met with Grand Imam of al-Azhar [Sheikh Ahmed el-Tayeb], I didn't wear a hijab and I will not wear it now," Le Pen told reporters as she left Dar al-Fatwa in Beirut.

Traditionally, women meeting with the Grand Mufti are required to wear a veil and cover their bodies with modest clothing.

A leading candidate in the French polls for the first round of presidential elections set for April 23, Le Pen is running on the basis of her National Front party's anti-immigration and anti-EU platform. Critics say it is a cover for anti-Islamic and anti-foreigner views.

A source at Dar al-Fatwa said that Le Pen had been informed of the customs followed when meeting with Derian ahead of her visit to Beirut. Organizers in Lebanon later informed her of the protocol.

"No objections were made," the source said.

The source estimated that Le Pen "might have intentionally headed to Dar al-Fatwa, despite her knowledge of the protocol, to cause a fuss in front of journalists."

Dar al-Fatwa expressed regret over the "inappropriate behavior" in a statement issued by its press office. The statement clarified that Le Pen had "refused to put on the veil, as it is known [to be required] when visiting Mufti Derian."

It added that Le Pen had been previously notified about "the need to cover her head when meeting with [Derian], in parallel with the protocols of Dar al-Fatwa."

"But when she arrived for the meeting, she refused to comply with the request despite several wishes by the concerned staff for her to wear the veil."

The statement said Le Pen left Dar al-Fatwa without meeting with Derian.

Le Pen arrived in Beirut Sunday night, accompanied by MP Gilbert Collard, her chief of staff Nicolas Lesage and her political adviser Omar Harfouch.

On Monday, she met with President Michel Aoun, in her first official one-on-one meeting with the head of state, Prime Minister Saad Hariri and several other officials.

Source: News Agencies, Edited by website team