The French government is poised to institute a ban on the abaya, an elongated and loose-fitting overgarment commonly worn by specific Muslim women. This ban, expected to be implemented within school premises, was revealed by the country’s education minister on a Sunday announcement.
Gabriel Attal, speaking to broadcaster TF1, articulated the government’s intention to establish unequivocal guidelines regarding this matter, which will be communicated to school officials nationwide. He expressed his aim to engage with school administrators in the forthcoming week, aiming to assist them in effectively enforcing the ban on this robe-like attire that conceals the entire body.
This decision constitutes the latest development in a series of measures addressing Islamic attire in France. Critics have contended that the government’s actions in recent years, including President Emmanuel Macron’s assertion that the religion is “in crisis,” operations involving mosque raids and charitable foundations, and the enactment of an “anti-separatism” law imposing comprehensive restrictions on the community, have singled out Muslims.
