The debate has provoked outrage among some French President Nicolas Sarkozy’s party, the UMP, is preparing to host a controversial debate on the role of Islam in secular France.
The debate has provoked protests from Islamic and other religious groups, and even from some members of the governing conservative UMP itself.
Critics have accused the party of pandering to a resurgent far-right.
The debate is being held a week before a law banning the Islamic full-face veil in public comes into force.
The three-hour, round-table discussion is being held in a mid-range Paris hotel with a guest list not fully specified.
The BBC’s Hugh Schofield in Paris says the political atmosphere in France in recent days has been poisonous, with accusations flying between left and right.
The UMP said it would be irresponsible not to debate the great changes posed to French society by its growing numbers of Muslims. France has the biggest Muslim population in Europe.
Since 1905, French law has guaranteed the separation of state and religion – posing modern-day quandaries about issues such as halal food being served in schools, Muslims praying in the street when mosques are too crowded, and the wearing of the face veil.
“In 1905, there were very few Muslims in France, today they are between five and six million,” Interior Minister Claude Gueant said.
“This growth in the number of faithful and some behaviours pose a problem. It’s obvious that the street prayers are shocking to a number of our compatriots.”
But the leaders of France’s six largest religious groups issued a joint warning against stigmatising any one religion.
And the left has accused President Nicolas Sarkozy of trying to court far-right sympathisers by taking a hard line on Islam, and thereby rebuild his flagging popularity figures.
Our correspondent, Hugh Schofield, says the controversy has prompted the UMP to trim the debate – once scheduled to last a week – down to just three hours.
Some senior figures – including Prime Minister Francois Fillon of the UMP – have declined to take part.
Our correspondent says the discussion is expected to result in a number of agreed principles, but no major policy announcements.
This article is from the BBC News website. © British Broadcasting Corporation, The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites.