New Law Passed for Sports Competitions in France
France Senate Approves Bill to Ban Headscarf in Sports Matches
In a recent development in France, senators have discussed and voted on a bill aimed at banning symbols such as the headscarf in sports matches. The bill, proposed by Central right-wing Republicans (LR) Party Senator Michel Savin, also includes provisions to prohibit collective worship in public sports venues.
During the vote in the Senate, 210 senators voted in favor of the bill, while 81 voted against it. A total of 38 senators participated in the vote, with 19 senators choosing not to cast their vote.
The discussions on the bill led to tensions between leftist and center-right senators in the Senate. Leftist senators accused LR party senators of ‘stamping Muslim women’ with this legislation. Socialist Senator Sylvie Robert criticized her LR Party colleagues for using this law for political and religious purposes, citing that it targets Islam through secularism.
Yannick Jadot, a senator from the Greens (EELV) party, also expressed concerns about the central right-wing senators’ focus on Islam in their legislative efforts.
The bill will now proceed to be discussed in the National Assembly, the lower wing of the French parliament. This development highlights the ongoing debates and tensions surrounding the issue of religious symbols and practices in public spaces in France.
