What is the headscarf ban in France?

The headscarf ban has resurfaced in France after a veiled woman appeared at a local council meeting, sparking controversy and exposing the French in interpreting the law.

The divide has evidently evolved within the government itself, and a contradiction in the interpretation of the legal text has emerged, after right-wing parliamentarian Julian Odol called for the removal of the veil of a citizen accompanying children - including her son - to the council meeting.

Despite the ministers' condemnation of the parliamentary action, the incident effectively returned this law to the spotlight, and it became clear whether women violated the law or not? The authorities also recognized that there was a real disagreement over the understanding of the legal text.

While some members of the Government consider wearing the headscarf to accompany school trips unpopular, others consider that preventing female escorts from wearing the headscarf may harm school trips and negatively affect them, especially since the legal text did not explicitly prevent them from wearing it.

What does the law say?
Starting from this incident, the question now posed by the French is: where exactly can the veil be worn? What are the conditions that allow it to be worn?

State administrations
So far, the French agree that the law prohibits public servants from wearing the hijab, regardless of their location, such as those employed in departments frequented by auditors, as well as workers in the interests and sections of the civil service who do not receive auditors by virtue of their jobs, as they are forced by the law to remain neutral and refrain from "Express their religious convictions" during work.

On the other hand, the law does not prevent revisions to these interests from wearing the hijab and expressing their religious beliefs, provided that public order is respected and not violated, which is considered by some to be deficient in this law and inconsistency between its provisions.

As for members of elected groups, the law does not stipulate the need for neutrality, and veiled women can submit their candidacy to electoral lists, but in the exercise of their duties, the interpretations of this law differ to the extent of contradiction.

For example, women elected to municipal councils may retain their headscarves during council meetings, but some feel that they should remove them during certain functions that fall under the provision of public services to auditors, such as the conclusion of marriage contracts, for example, because they are then subject to the veil law on public service.

Educational institutions
In educational institutions, the law does not prohibit the hijab in universities, but it is prohibited to wear it in primary, preparatory and secondary schools only for female students and teachers.It does not include state escorts for students as they only provide logistical support to students and do not provide public services until they are covered by law.

Although a decree was issued in 2012 prohibiting female state escorts for students to wear the hijab, the State Council decided in 2013 that female escort states cannot be considered employees of the state, and therefore are not subject to the hijab ban law to repeal the previous decree.

Companies
For private companies and institutions, the law stipulates that the headscarf can be prohibited provided that the employer provides specific reasons for the ban depending on the nature of the company's activity, safety, hygiene, and health restrictions, and internal bylaws may impose certain restrictions on religious symbols.

However, the law requires an employer not to be banned from wearing a headscarf in his organization on religious grounds because it would contravene the rights of the individual and the freedom of belief guaranteed by French laws.

Public spaces
In public spaces such as roads, parks, beaches, etc., wearing religious symbols remains permissible, but in 2010, for security reasons, a law was banned from visiting public places with burqas or veils.

Therefore, according to most followers, the law to prevent the veil will be the subject of constant controversy because it contains many contradictions, leaving the door open to various interpretations and non-conclusive provisions.