Elham Asaad Buaras
France is witnessing a sharp rise in discrimination based on religion, with Muslims disproportionately affected, according to a report released on December 4 by the rights body Défenseur des droits (Defender of Rights). The institution is calling for a national “wake-up call” to address widespread and often overlooked violations targeting religious minorities.
Based on a survey of more than 5,000 people, the report shows that 7 percent of respondents experienced discrimination on religious grounds in the past five years, up from 5 percent in 2016. The increase is particularly pronounced among Muslims or those perceived as Muslim: 34 percent reported discrimination in 2024, compared with 27 percent eight years earlier, making them the group most affected. By contrast, 19 percent of people identifying with other religions and 4 percent of Christians reported such discrimination, the latter figure rising from 2 percent in 2016.
The report stresses that these forms of discrimination are often “rendered invisible, or even trivialised”, particularly when fuelled by public discourse that stigmatises certain religious communities. Claire Hédon, the Defender of Rights, warned that the cumulative effects on victims, including anxiety, social isolation, feelings of rejection, and economic vulnerability, can be “devastating”.
Visible religious markers play a decisive role in shaping discriminatory experiences. Fifteen percent of people wearing a religious sign—such as a headscarf, kippah, or other visible symbol, reported discrimination. Muslim women are especially affected: 38 percent reported discrimination, compared with 31 percent of Muslim men, underscoring the intersection of religious and gender-based prejudice.
The climate worsened notably during the 2024 legislative elections, when calls to the national discrimination hotline surged by 53 percent between May and June. Many incidents involved religion or perceived religious identity.
Witnessed discrimination has also risen sharply. In 2024, 31 percent of respondents said they had witnessed discrimination based on religion, up from 21 percent in 2016—pointing to a broader societal shift.
A key finding of the report is the “interlinking” of religion and origin in discriminatory behaviour. People who believe they are perceived as Arab are far more likely to report religious discrimination (41 percent in total), reinforcing evidence that anti-Muslim bias frequently overlaps with racial or ethnic profiling.
The Défenseur des droits also raises concerns about widespread public confusion surrounding the principle of laïcité (French secularism). Twenty-four percent of those surveyed interpret secularism as a ban on religious symbols in public spaces, an erroneous belief that, according to the report, fuels both prejudice and discriminatory practices.
This misunderstanding creates what the report describes as a “paradox”: rules and policies ostensibly designed to counter “separatism” may in fact reinforce divisions by disproportionately restricting or stigmatising minority religious expression.
To address the growing problem, the Defender of Rights calls for “ambitious measures” across public institutions, particularly schools. Introducing structured education on secularism “from primary level onwards”, Hédon argues, would foster a clearer understanding of the principle and help instil respect for individual rights, and their limits, from an early age.
She stresses that combating discrimination based on religion is “not only a legal requirement” but a fundamental condition for preserving social cohesion. Without systemic action, she warns, rising prejudice and rights violations will continue to erode trust, fuel marginalisation, and undermine the principles of equality at the heart of the French Republic.
Feature image : Report — Religious Discrimination in France: Findings and Analyses by the Defender of Rights (Credit: Defender of Rights)
