Laurent Nuñez promises national strategy against anti-religious acts

France's Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez has pledged to develop a national strategy aimed at combating anti-religious acts. The commitment was made during a ceremony marking the centenary of the Great Mosque of Paris, an event that also served as a platform to address rising Islamophobia.

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This mosque was born from a debt of blood and recognition

"This mosque was born from a debt of blood and recognition" after World War I, Nuñez stated, referencing the tens of thousands of Muslim soldiers who died for France. He acknowledged the complex history surrounding the mosque's construction, calling it a "living testament to an ancient, dense, sometimes complex history, but inseparable from France and Islam."

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amalgams, hateful discourse, and discrimination

The minister highlighted that temptations to pit French identity against Muslim faith persist, manifesting as "amalgams, hateful discourse, and discrimination." He reported a stark 88% increase in anti-Muslim acts in 2025, reaching 326 incidents. Nuñez emphasized that attacks against any religious group are attacks against the French Republic itself, asserting that "whoever attacks a Muslim attacks, nothing more and nothing less, one of its children."

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whoever attacks a Muslim attacks, nothing more and nothing less, one of its children.

Nuñez outlined that the government's strategy, building on existing national and territorial consultations, will focus on formation, prevention, and research. He stressed that the integration of Muslims in France is a reality, with a significant portion born in the country and holding French citizenship. "In secular France, there is no need to choose between faith and citizenship," he affirmed, praising the mosque's efforts in training imams and its message of tolerance.

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In secular France, there is no need to choose between faith and citizenship.