On Wednesday, the French cabinet presented a draft law that targets “radical Islamism” — although the word “Islamist” is not part of the text. Called a law “to reinforce Republican principles”, the Bill will go to the National Assembly, the lower chamber of Parliament, in January.
Prime Minister Jean Castex has said it is “not a text against religion, nor against the Muslim religion”, but against radical Islamism, whose objective, he said, is “to divide French people from one another.”
The Bill comes in the wake of a series of terror attacks in recent years. Although in the pipeline for some time, it is being seen as a response to the October beheading of schoolteacher Samuel Paty. It has raised concerns that it could stigmatise France’s Muslim community, the largest in Europe. Once the law comes into force, French mosques could see increased surveillance of their activities, such as financing. The government would be able to exercise supervision over the training of imams, and have greater powers to shut down places of worship receiving public subsidies if they go against “republican principles” such as gender equality. Moderate community leaders targeted by an extremist “putsch” could receive protection.
