If they are not part of the main themes of the campaign, secularism and separatism have nevertheless taken a major place in French society, especially in the face of the scourge of Islamism. These subjects are logically dealt with by the finalists in the presidential election, Emmanuel Macron and Marine Le Pen.
Marine Le Pen
The candidate of the National Rally takes up in her program a bill that she tabled in February 2021, planning to ban the publication of writings disseminating Islamist ideology (books, magazines, texts on the internet, videos, sounds, etc.) . Schools must be particularly protected against this propaganda. The State and public service organizations will have the obligation to take general or individual measures to prevent or put an end to Salafist discourse.
It also wants to withdraw French nationality from people who have acquired it and who demonstrate or spread Islamist ideology. Foreigners wishing to obtain a residence permit must undertake to respect secularism.
Marine Le Pen intends to combine immigration policy, foreign policy, education policy, cultural policy and criminal policy to fight against Islamism.
Moreover, she wants to include the question in the referendum she wants to submit to the French in the event of an election. If the voters validate it, the Constitution will be modified to affirm that the national community is the only one possible in France, and that no individual can derogate from the common rule according to his origin, his culture, his language or his religion.
Emmanuel Macron
The outgoing president made no campaign promises concerning secularism, preferring to rely on what he had put in place in previous years, in particular the law “consolidating respect for the principles of the Republic” (known as the “law against separatisms”, Editor’s note). Its teams have therefore highlighted the offense of obstructing the teaching function, compulsory schooling at 3 years of age, the supervision of family education or even the “republican commitment contract” for associations wishing a public subsidy.
The fight against forced marriages, polygamy and the prohibition of virginity certificates are recalled, as is the extension of the principle of political and religious neutrality to employees of public or private organizations participating in a public service mission (bus drivers , caretakers of HLM buildings, etc.).
Concerning separatism, the control and closure of places frequented by Islamists, the creation of a departmental cell to fight against Islamism and community withdrawal, but also the control of foreign funding for associations and places of worship are actions recalled and which the candidate therefore wishes to see extended.