Secularism — Religion and State

France is the land of secularism (laïcité) — the strict separation of church and state, enshrined in the law of 1905. It may sound dry, but it is a central pillar of French identity and a source of heated debates.

In concrete terms, secularism means: The state finances no religious community, religion is a private matter, and strict rules of religious neutrality apply in public buildings, schools, and state institutions. Since 2004, conspicuous religious symbols (headscarf, kippa, large cross) have been banned in public schools. Since 2010, full-face veiling (burqa, niqab) has been prohibited in the entire public sphere.

Historically, secularism is a reaction to the enormous power of the Catholic Church, which dominated the state, education, and society for centuries. The Revolution of 1789 was also directed against the clergy. Today, France is largely secularized: Only about 5% of baptized Catholics attend mass regularly. At the same time, the debate about secularism has gained a new dimension due to the growing Muslim population (about 5–6 million, the largest in Western Europe).

For tourists, this is hardly relevant in everyday life — but it explains why nativity scenes in town halls trigger court cases and why the headscarf issue is discussed so emotionally in France as hardly any other.