Essonne: The Council of State Prohibits Inscribing ‘Secularism’ on School Facades

In November 2020, the mayor of the city of Étampes (Ile-de-France) decided to add the term ‘Secularism’ after the French motto (‘Liberty, Equality, Fraternity’) on certain official buildings of the city, including public schools.

After several years of legal proceedings, the Council of State confirmed the ruling of the Versailles Court of Appeal from December 15, 2023, which stated that this decision by the mayor was not permissible because the addition of the term ‘Secularism’ altered the national motto.

Secularism, a principle very often instrumentalized for Islamophobic purposes, has been put in its proper place by the Council of State, and this place is not on par with liberty, equality, and fraternity.

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