RN Says It Will Put Veil Ban to Referendum If Elected

Overview

• The Rassemblement national reiterated on Sept. 1 that, if Marine Le Pen wins in 2027, it will submit by referendum a law to ban and fine the public wearing of the Islamic veil as part of a broader 'law against Islamist ideologies'.
• The proposal drew swift condemnation across the political spectrum with critics calling it populist, discriminatory, or legally unjustified and long‑standing RN opponents warning it targets Muslim women.
• Constitutional scholars and legal commentators say a general veil ban would likely clash with the French Constitution and the European Convention on Human Rights and that the RN intends to use a referendum to try to sidestep judicial review.
• Police unions and law‑enforcement sources warned the measure would be hard to enforce at scale and questioned the practicality of mass controls and collection of fines.
• Polls show roughly six in ten French people support banning the veil in public and a narrower majority back fines, while reporting highlights internal RN doubts about applicability and sharp divides by age and political sympathy.