France is the country in Europe with the largest Muslim population. Of the total population, there are about 9 percent or about 5.7 million people who embrace Islam. However, it is no secret that France has become a hostile country for its Muslim citizens.
Recently, France has again drawn criticism from Muslims in the world. French presidential candidate Marine Le Pen has vowed to ban the wearing of the hijab if she wins in the second round of elections on April 24.
According to Le Pen, the veil is 'the uniform of a radical Islamic group'. Quoted from Reuters, the woman who became a presidential candidate with extreme right wing said that the hijab cannot be seen as a symbol of one's belief. By banning the use of the hijab, this is Le Pen's way of fighting 'Islamism'.
Not only banning the use of the hijab, Le Pen even intends to impose fines on French citizens who wear the hijab in public. This hijab ban will be carried out by the police, just like the rules for using seat belts in cars.
One of Le Pen's close allies, the mayor of Perpignan, Louis Aliot, said the woman would "bit by bit" implement the law banning the hijab if she won the election.
Many lawyers, advocates, and activists oppose the plan to ban Le Pen's hijab, which is considered to violate the French constitution. Meanwhile, Le Pen's rival, Emannuel Macron, said the plan would spark a "civil war" in France.
"What you are saying is very serious. You will cause civil war. I say this sincerely. How many police officers have to run behind women to enforce the hijab ban?" Macron told Le Pen during his presidential campaign, quoted from Metro UK.
France has had a long history of restricting what Muslim women can wear, having banned the wearing of the hijab in public schools in 2004. In 2021, France proposed a ban on the wearing of the hijab for girls under 18.
Not only that, in early 2022, France also banned athletes from wearing the hijab in sports competitions. The regulation immediately drew protests and criticism from the world's netizens.