The French Senate has adopted a bill aimed at combating Islamist infiltration, approving the measure by 208 votes to 124.
The legislation, introduced by former Interior Minister Bruno Retailleau, seeks to create a new criminal offence targeting coordinated actions deemed contrary to the fundamental principles of the French Republic.
Under the proposed law, organised efforts intended to pressure public or private bodies into adopting decisions or practices that violate French law could be subject to prosecution if they are considered to seriously undermine the country’s constitutional principles. These include the indivisible, secular, democratic and social character of the Republic, equality before the law, respect for all beliefs, and equality between women and men in access to positions of responsibility.
The bill also introduces additional grounds for dissolving associations or informal groups accused of refusing to comply with common civic rules. It would require prefectural authorisation for the construction of places of worship, extend the statute of limitations for certain press offences to three years, and strengthen oversight of organisations working with minors.
The initiative follows a 2025 report submitted to Bruno Retailleau concerning the influence of the Muslim Brotherhood and political Islamism in France. According to the report, 139 Muslim places of worship were linked to the Muslim Brotherhood, while a further 68 were considered close to organisations affiliated with the movement. Twenty-one institutions were reportedly identified as belonging directly to the Brotherhood’s network.
Defending the legislation, Bruno Retailleau argued that the bill represented a firm response to what he described as a genuine threat, while insisting that Islamism should not be conflated with Islam itself. He stated that portraying efforts to combat Islamism as attacks on Muslims echoed the strategy of Islamist movements seeking to blur that distinction.
The bill will now proceed to the National Assembly for further parliamentary debate.
