The New York Times said that the French government's tendency to the right is haunting the country's civil liberties defenders, and raising questions about the position of President Emmanuel Macron before the upcoming confrontation in the 2022 election with the extremists of the right-wing.
The newspaper pointed out in a report by its Paris office director, Adam Noster, that the government had submitted two new bills to parliament that confirm what critics considered a "disturbing shift" in the state's policy towards repression.
The French government took this step - according to the report - in response to a wave of anxiety that swept the country after the recent "terrorist" attacks by "Islamic extremists."
One of these laws, which was passed in the National Assembly (parliament) on Tuesday, bans the publication of photos of security men in the performance of their duties, and violators are punished by one year in prison and a fine of 45,000 euros ($ 54,000).
Civil rights groups considered it a "preventive of police brutality" at a time when law enforcement operations - which pursue aggressive methods - are subject to increased monitoring and follow-up by citizens equipped with mobile phone cameras.
As for the other bill, which is still under consideration by Parliament, it aims to impose more restrictions on "Islamic extremism", as defined by the French government, to affect some of the lifestyles of Muslims in France.
The law prohibits home education for children, places a check in the database of those who justify "terrorist" acts, subject organizations that receive government support to a "loyalty to republican values" test, and imposes further restrictions on the issue of polygamy, "which is already forbidden by French law."
The new legislation, which aims - according to the New York Times - to curb Islamic extremism, comes after a series of "terrorist" attacks, specifically the attack that occurred late last month in the vicinity of a church in Nice and left 3 dead and several wounded, and the crime of beheading a teacher in a suburb of Paris.
By his drifting towards the right, Macron would have taken a step that is largely consistent with the desire of the French public opinion, in the words of the American newspaper, which believes that by this he will not lose much politically, on the contrary, he will win almost everything.
Critics blamed the Macron government for its "repressive and rebuking tone" toward Muslims, who may make up 10% of France's population.
The newspaper quoted a member of the French National Assembly, Aurelene Tache, as saying that the new law does not promote secularism, "and those who claim that they want it, they really want to exclude Muslims."
According to the newspaper, the "comprehensive security" law, which prohibits filming police officers while performing their duties, threatens to arouse widespread criticism because its phrases are "adaptable to any situation."
Even the European Commission, for its part, has raised doubts about the two new legislation, along with a storm of protests by journalists and left-leaning politicians.