French presidential candidate Bruno Retailleau promises a headscarf ban in universities

Bruno Retailleau, candidate of the centre-right Republicans (LR) Party in the 2027 presidential elections in France, said that he would ban headscarves in universities if he wins.

Retailleau announced his promises within the scope of next year's presidential elections on the French channel BFMTV, where he was a guest.

Stating that if she wins the election, she will impose a headscarf ban in sports activities, school trips and universities, Retailleau promised to "dissolve the organizations affiliated with the Muslim Brotherhood in the country." Former Interior Minister Retailleau argued that the headscarf ban cannot be implemented in practice in public spaces, and that security forces cannot easily distinguish between women who wear headscarves for "ideological reasons" or health problems such as cancer. Retailleau stated that he wanted to reduce immigration and that if he was elected president, he would add to the constitution that "France has Judeo-Christian roots".

Presidential candidate of the centre-right Renaissance Party and former Prime Minister Gabriel Attal, in his statement to the same channel, expressed his "opposition" to the headscarf ban in public spaces. Attal said she wants all women in France to have the right to choose on this issue.

Attal, who served as the minister of education in France in 2023-2024, banned students from wearing long dresses called "abaya" in schools in 2023.