France Assigns Mission on Secularism to Two Lawmakers

French Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu has appointed socialist deputy Jérôme Guedj and centrist senator Nathalie Delattre to lead a mission focused on secularism in France. The initiative, confirmed by a letter consulted by AFP, tasks the pair with evaluating the application, defense, and promotion of the principle of laïcité.

In the mission letter, the Prime Minister highlighted that while the core principles of the 1905 law on the separation of church and state remain unchanged, their implementation has been supplemented by various laws over the past two decades. This evolution, he noted, reflects France's complex reality, characterized by significant religious diversity alongside strong secularization and a growing affirmation of religion in society, all against a backdrop of rising separatist phenomena.

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The great principles fixed by the 1905 law on the separation of the Church and the State have remained unchanged, but their application has been completed by several laws over the last twenty years.

Lecornu acknowledged that while a majority of French citizens support secularism, its practical application often sparks questions and tensions. The government is therefore tasking Guedj and Delattre with assessing public policy on secularism and its organization. This includes examining the relevance of an interministerial committee established in 2021, which has reportedly not met since its inception, according to Guedj.

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If the French widely say they are attached to the principle of secularism, its concrete application still raises many questions, even tensions.

The parliamentarians will also identify public officials, such as mayors and university presidents, who regularly confront challenges related to secularism. They aim to compile a comprehensive understanding of existing practices and potential improvements, drawing on examples of "secularism guides" already developed by some officials. The mission also involves scrutinizing existing legal tools, particularly provisions within the 1905 law concerning public order, and understanding why certain penal measures are reportedly underutilized.

Jérôme Guedj, who has declared his candidacy for the presidential election, previously proposed creating a "Defender of Secularism" role, similar to the Defender of Rights. He indicated this is one of the avenues being explored, aiming to depoliticize a debate that is prominent in society but lacks adequate public policy tools, sometimes leading to instrumentalization or publicity stunts. Guedj and Delattre are expected to submit their final report by the end of October 2026.

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This is one of the avenues being explored. My state of mind is to depoliticize a debate that is very present in society and for which public policy tools are lacking, even though it sometimes leads to instrumentalization or communication stunts.