AA / Paris / Ümit Dönmez
Bruno Retailleau, French Minister of the Interior, took a position this Friday on X against what he describes as attempts at “separatism”, following a controversy in Nancy where two veiled employees risk dismissal. “It is not acceptable that people seek to escape from common rules regarding secularism,” he declared. Retailleau affirmed his support for the Association for Reception and Social Reintegration (ARS), which applies a religious neutrality clause imposed in August 2024.
As a reminder, two ARS employees in Nancy (Meurthe-et-Moselle) risk losing their jobs due to a new regulation banning religious symbols. This “neutrality” clause imposed in August 2024 provokes a mobilization of their colleagues, who denounce a discriminatory decision.
The management of the ARS justified this change by the obligation of neutrality as part of a public service mission. The two employees, who had worn the veil for several years within the association without problem, were offered three options: remove their veil, accept a contractual termination or be dismissed.
Their sick leave for several days did not prevent a large internal mobilization. On September 24, a general assembly brought together nearly 100 people, demanding the immediate withdrawal of this clause. Philippe Blouet, union delegate, quoted by Libération, describes this mobilization as “historic” for this association of 350 employees, founded in 1979. He denounces “nameless managerial violence”, recalling that the employees had been hired with their veils, without this being a problem before.
Valérie Jurin, president of the ARS, also cited by the French daily, defends herself by affirming that this measure respects the law of August 24, 2021 on secularism in public services. She emphasizes that a dialogue remains open with employees, citing an example where an agent covered a tattoo in the shape of a cross to comply with the new rule. However, she believes that by maintaining their position, the two employees risk encountering difficulties in finding employment in other similar structures.
The mobilization of support for employees, scheduled for Wednesday October 2, aims to increase pressure on the association to withdraw this clause. According to one of the mobilized employees, cited by Libération, this measure goes against the social values of the association: “Is this the example we show to asylum seekers who are fleeing religious stigma? “.
As a reminder, the speech by French President Emmanuel Macron on October 2, 2020 in Les Mureaux, focused on the fight against “Islamist separatism”, sparked lively debates. Presented as a response to the rise in identity tensions, this discourse was perceived by some as stigmatizing part of the population and risking reinforcing social divisions rather than resolving them. In seeking to combat the phenomenon of “separatism”, Macron proposed measures considered by some observers to be restrictive, particularly in terms of religious freedoms.
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