France’s controversial ‘separatism’ bill: Seven things to know

Having debated the bill, French politicians will vote on it this week before it heads to the Senate.

Paris, France – During a high-profile speech on secularism and Islam last October, French President Emmanuel Macron said that “Islam is a religion which is experiencing a crisis today, all over the world”, and there was a need to “free Islam in France from foreign influences”. Two months later, the French government unveiled draft legislation in order to combat what it terms “Islamist separatism” and an ideology it describes as “the enemy of the Republic”. Critics say the so-called “separatism law” is discriminatory and targets France’s 5.7 million-strong Muslim community, the largest in Europe.