France - August 2023

The June 2023 ban of the environmental group Earth Uprisings (Les Soulèvements de la Terre) was temporarily lifted on 11 August by the Council of State, the highest administrative court. The Court ruled that the Interior Minister, Gérald Darmanin, who originally decreed the ban, did not provide enough evidence of incitement to violence to justify the ban and that disbanding the group restricted the activists’ freedom of association and assembly. The group was dissolved after Darmanin accused its activists of “ecoterrorism,” following protests against the construction of water reservoirs in March that resulted in violent clashes with the police. The Court is expected to issue a final ruling on the merits of the case in autumn. In the meantime, the group will be able to resume its activism.

Sources: International IDEA, Council of State, Le Monde, Politico

On 7 August, Interior Minister Gérald Darmanin announced a dissolution order for the far-right ultra-traditional Catholic party Civitas, over “incitement to racial hatred”. The party, whose MPs are known for an anti-immigration, anti-LGBTQIA+, and anti-vaccine rhetoric, hosted a summer seminar in July at which a speaker made anti-Semitic remarks. Seeking legal action against the speaker, Darmanin “referred the matter to the public prosecutor”. Additionally, he ordered the dissolution of the party. This can be achieved either with a judicial dissolution by a court at the request of the public prosecutor or with an administrative dissolution, where the party would be dissolved by decree in the Council of Ministers. The process is expected to take weeks to months. Civitas has been receiving public financing since 2016 when it was recognized as a political party, having previously held the status of religious association.

Sources: Le Monde (1), Le Monde (2), Service-Public.fr, Radio France Internationale, The Local

From 4 September, female students are banned from wearing abayas in state schools, sparking discrimination concerns. In his announcement of the ban, Gabriel Attal, the Minister of Education, classified wearing the abaya as a “religious gesture” that violates secularism laws. The political right supported his decision, alongside teachers’ unions who requested clear rules after a rise in tensions between parents and teachers over an increase in students wearing abayas. The French Muslim Association (Conseil Français du Culte Musulman) firmly opposes the ban, emphasizing that the abaya is not a religious garment and that the ban’s implementation will be arbitrary and discriminatory unless all long dresses are banned. Clémentine Autain of the left-wing Unbowed party (La France Insoumise) has labelled it as an “obsessive rejection of Muslims.” Abayas will now be added to the list of prohibited religious symbols in schools, which includes Sikh turbans, Christian crosses, Jewish kippas and Islamic headscarves.

Sources: Le Monde, Euronews, Deutsche Welle, Conseil Français du Culte Musulman (on X)