France’s highest administrative court upheld the prohibition on Islamic hijab headscarves worn by female football players, following concerns raised by politicians who argued that secularism was being threatened.
France’s top administrative court on Thursday upheld a ban on women football players wearing Islamic hijab headscarves, after the issue was seized on by politicians claiming secularism was at risk.
A group of Muslim women footballers called the “Hijabeuses” had launched the action against the FFF regulation.
Judges found themselves under political pressure ahead of the ruling as mainstream parties look to fend off the far right riding high in the polls.
Secularism is a sensitive topic in France, presented by its defenders as a way of guaranteeing the state’s religious neutrality and by critics as a dog-whistle against ethnic and religious minorities, especially Muslims.
A Monday boost for the “Hijabeuses”, when the state’s legal advisor concluded the rule was unjustified, prompted a wave of political condemnation.
Other voices from the conservative Republicans party and far-right National Rally have also chimed in.
Republicans chief Eric Ciotti said his party, which holds just 62 seats in France’s 577-seat parliament, would introduce a bill on the topic if the court allowed the hijab.
The Constitutional Council itself shot back Wednesday at what it said were “attacks aimed at the administrative branch and especially the legal advisor”.
Khalil Wakim, with AFP
