French President Emmanuel Macron’s political party, Renaissance, has introduced a controversial proposal to ban girls under 15 from wearing the Muslim headscarf in public. The move comes as the government intensifies its response to concerns over political Islam in France.
The proposal is spearheaded by Gabriel Attal, former Prime Minister and current chief of Renaissance. He claims the measure aims to address ideological threats from Islamist groups, particularly the Muslim Brotherhood, which the French government alleges is undermining the country’s republican values and social fabric.
Attal also called for a new criminal law to punish parents who force their underage daughters to wear the hijab. According to him, “the Muslim head covering worn by young girls seriously undermines gender equality and the protection of children.”
Muslim Brotherhood Report Fuels Government Action
The proposed hijab ban coincides with a newly submitted government-commissioned report on the Muslim Brotherhood’s presence in France. President Macron convened a high-level ministerial meeting to review the findings of this confidential report, which was commissioned in 2023.
Although the full document will remain unpublished, both Reuters and AFP accessed copies of the report. It warns that the Brotherhood presents a “threat to national cohesion” and could “undermine the fabric of society and republican institutions.”
The report accuses the group of influencing French society through a “bottom-up” strategy involving schools, religious groups, local NGOs, and sports associations. This approach allegedly aims to erode the principles of secularism and gender equality embedded in French governance.
France’s History of Secularism and Religious Symbol Bans
France’s secular model, known as laïcité, enshrines the separation of religion and state. It has long shaped legislation restricting visible religious symbols in public life.
A 2004 law bans students in public schools from wearing conspicuous religious symbols, including crosses, kippahs, turbans, and hijabs. Government workers, including teachers and civil servants, are also barred from wearing religious attire while on duty.
In 2023, France extended this to ban the abaya, a modest robe worn by Muslim women, in public schools. Lawmakers are currently considering similar restrictions in domestic sports events. Proponents argue these laws protect national unity, while critics say they disproportionately target Muslims and infringe on religious freedom.
Backlash from Opposition and Muslim Communities
Critics across the political spectrum have raised concerns over the proposed legislation. Left-wing politicians accuse the Macron administration of infringing on civil liberties and exploiting Islam for political leverage amid growing far-right sentiment.
Jérôme Guedj of the Socialist Party condemned Attal’s approach, saying he was “chasing the far right” and weaponising secularism against Muslim communities.
On the far-right, National Rally leader Jordan Bardella accused Attal of hypocrisy, referencing a 2022 debate where Attal opposed policies targeting veiled women under Marine Le Pen. Le Pen had previously proposed banning the hijab in public for all women during her 2022 presidential campaign, calling it a measure against “Islamist fundamentalism.”
From France’s Muslim community, the reaction has been swift and critical. The French Council of the Muslim Faith urged the government not to stigmatise Muslims, cautioning that “the state must above all not feed a generalised suspicion towards Muslims in France.”
The Federation of Muslims of France rejected the allegations in the report, stating, “Even unintentional conflations between Islam, political Islamism and radicalism are not only dangerous but counterproductive for the Republic itself.”
Disputed Brotherhood Links and Academic Pushback
The government report links the group Musulmans de France with the Muslim Brotherhood. However, the organisation denies any such connection.
Azzedine Gaci, head of the Villeurbanne mosque near Lyon—also named in the report—called it a betrayal. He said the document was a “slap in the face” after years of collaboration with French authorities.
Academic experts have questioned the assumptions made in the report. Political Islam scholar Haoues Seniguer said, “In the public debate and politicians’ words, there is a tendency to act as if the distant heirs of the Muslim Brotherhood today had the exact same views as the founder of the Muslim Brotherhood in 1928. (This) makes absolutely no sense.”
He added that although Musulmans de France may advocate a conservative Islamic interpretation, there is “no indication that the group aims to transform French society into an Islamic state.” The report itself admits there is “no recent evidence” that the group seeks to impose Islamic law or create a parallel state.
Nonetheless, the report maintains that unchecked influence could erode key republican principles over time.
What Comes Next?
France remains sensitive to the issue of Islam in public life, especially in the wake of past jihadist attacks. Many civil rights organisations and Muslim advocacy groups have accused the government of Islamophobia.
With over six million Muslims living in France—the largest Muslim population in Europe—leftist leader Jean-Luc Mélenchon commented that “Islamophobia has crossed a line.”
J'alerte. Cette fois-ci, l'islamophobie franchit un seuil. Un Conseil de défense autour du Président accrédite les thèses délirantes de Retailleau et de Le Pen. Ça suffit ! Vous allez détruire notre pays. Ce genre de méthodes a déjà été appliqué dans le passé d'abord contre les…
— Jean-Luc Mélenchon (@JLMelenchon) May 21, 2025
Muslim schools have also come under scrutiny. Authorities have closed several, citing concerns over extremist teachings. But Makhlouf Mameche, head of the National Federation for Muslim Education, defended the institutions, saying, “Our teachings have always been respectful of republican values. Our goal is to make sure our pupils succeed.”
President Macron has tasked ministers with drafting policies based on the Brotherhood report. These measures are expected to be finalised and presented in June.
Interior Minister Bruno Retailleau, now leading the centre-right Les Républicains, echoed the government’s stance. He stated, “Political Islamism is quietly infiltrating sporting, cultural, social and other associations,” and warned that their aim is to “tip the whole of French society into sharia [law].”
As France moves forward with its legislative response, the tension between national security, secularism, and religious freedom continues to grow.
