French Tribunal Recommends Overturning State Contract Termination for Muslim School

The Lycée Averroès in Lille challenges the Prefecture's decision, as the rapporteur public cites procedural flaws and insufficient grounds for the termination.

The Lycée Averroès, a prominent Muslim school in Lille, had its state contract terminated in December 2023 over alleged breaches of Republican values, leading to the loss of public subsidies in September 2024.
The Prefecture's decision cited materials promoting the death penalty for apostasy, gender segregation, and other issues, alongside the school's refusal of a 2022 inspection and its receipt of funding from Qatar.
The school's enrollment dropped from 470 to 290 students, prompting it to double tuition fees and launch a fundraiser to sustain operations.
The tribunal administrative's rapporteur public recommended annulling the Prefecture's decision, citing procedural errors and insufficiently severe breaches to justify the termination.
The case highlights broader debates over secularism, religious freedom, and perceived unequal treatment of Muslim private schools in France.