French Senate Approves Bill to Ban Hijab in Sports Competitions

The Senate (the upper chamber of the French Parliament) passed the bill with a majority of 210 votes in favor, 81 against, 38 abstentions, and 19 members not participating in the vote.

The bill, introduced by Senator Michel Savin from the Republicans party, also includes a ban on group prayers in public sports facilities.

The discussion of the bill in the Senate sparked tensions among senators, as it also seeks to prohibit religious symbols and attire, such as the burkini, in public swimming pools.

Left-wing senators accused members of the Republicans party, which holds a majority in the National Assembly, of specifically targeting Muslim women with this legislation.

Speaking in the Senate, Socialist Senator Sylvie Robert noted that the issues chosen for discussion by Republican members had “divided society.”

She stated: “This bill serves a political purpose—it targets a religion (Islam) under the pretext of secularism.”

The bill is also set to be discussed in the National Assembly, the lower chamber of the French Parliament, at a later date.

This is not the first such measure in France. Previous decisions, which Muslims in the country say are meant to restrict them, have preceded it.

In August 2023, then-Education Minister Gabriel Attal banned the wearing of the abaya in schools, claiming it was an “Islamic garment that violates state rules and regulations.”

This decision was part of a series of bans issued since 2004, when France passed a law prohibiting the wearing of religious symbols in public schools.