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EDUCATION

Explained: Why is school uniform controversial in France?

France's education minister has announced that he wants to 'experiment' with imposing a uniform in schools - but this is one topic guaranteed to raise controversy.

Explained: Why is school uniform controversial in France?
School uniform is common in France's overseas territory of Martinique, but is more unusual in mainland France. Photo by ERIC FEFERBERG / AFP

Newly-appointed education minister Gabriel Attal has announced that he wants to create a pilot scheme to test out requiring school pupils in France to wear a uniform.

Unlike in many countries where school uniforms are normal practice – for example in the UK 90 percent of schools require a uniform – in France uniform requirements are rare and the topic itself is controversial.

Announcing the trial, Attal was notably restrained, saying that he did not think that uniforms were a “miracle solution” but that the idea should be tested.

“I am very much in favour of a trial so that it can advance the debate. The best way to get an idea is to test things out in schools,” he told radio station RTL.

Current rules

At present it is up to the individual school to decide whether their pupils should wear a uniform, there is no nationwide policy on it.

The vast majority of public schools don’t have a uniform requirement – but there are two exceptions to this. In the French overseas territories of Guadeloupe and Martinique (both in the Caribbean) uniforms are widely worn.

In mainland France, the schools that have a uniform requirement tend to be private schools, religious schools or military schools. There are some exceptions to this, however, for example several boarding schools set up by the government to help under-achieving pupils have a uniform.

History

Politicians often talk about ‘bringing back’ and uniform or ‘returning’ to the tradition of a uniform, but in fact France has never had a widespread policy of school uniforms.

Until the 19th Century, most schools in France were private or run by the Catholic Church.

It was under Napoleon’s rule that lycées were set up and the baccalaureat end-of-school exam was introduced – at this stage lycées were usually boarding schools with a military ethos – and many of them had uniforms.

Theoretically open to a much broader group of pupils than before (and when we say pupils, we mean boys – girls wouldn’t get widespread educational opportunities for another 50 years) it was noted at the time that the cost of the uniform proved a barrier to potential lycée pupils from lower-income families.

The first free schools were set up under the ministry of Jules Ferry in the 1880s, whose aim was to break the stranglehold that the Catholic church retained on education. 

He set up free primary schools and made education compulsory between the ages of six and 13, extended to 14 in 1936.

Uniform was not compulsory in most of these new public schools, with the main deciding factor being that uniform expenses would deter parents from sending their children.

Some pre-existing schools kept their uniforms, however, but many decided to drop them in the 1960s, especially after the widespread student protests of 1968. 

Up until the 1970s pupils in primary schools often wore smocks (blouses in French) to protect their clothes while at school, but in most cases these were not compulsory.

Recent history 

In recent years, the push to introduce a school uniform has often come from politicians on the right or centre-right, sometimes in the context of laïcité.

Although the state does not have a uniform policy, it does impose rules on what pupils (and staff) cannot wear in schools. Under a law introduced in 2004, pupils and staff in French schools are explicitly forbidden from “the wearing of conspicuous religious symbols or garb” in schools. Although it applies to all religious symbols, the biggest impact has been on Muslim girls.

From September 4th, 2023, this has been expanded to include a ban on the abaya – the long, loose robe or dress commonly worn in the Middle East and parts of Africa. The rationale for this is also laïcité – it is said that some female Muslim pupils are wearing the abaya to show their faith, since they are banned from wearing the hijab.

Extreme right commentator and failed presidential candidate Eric Zemmour said that he is in favour of a uniform “to avoid Islamic provocations in schools”.

A petition calling for the return of uniforms for reasons of secularism has been widely circulated on far-right social media accounts.

But it’s worth noting that this is not a straightforward left v right issue – some politicians on the centre and left also support the introduction of a uniform.

Over the summer Brigitte Macron also said she was in favour of a uniform – responding to a question at a newspaper Q&A session: “I wore a uniform as a pupil: 15 years of dark blue short skirt, dark blue jumper. And I thought it was fine,” she said, responding to a question from a 14-year-old schoolgirl.

“It erases differences, it saves time. It’s time-consuming to choose what to wear in the morning, and costs money to buy brands. So I’m in favour of school uniforms, but if it’s a simple outfit – and not too drab.”

Who says what?

In a broad overview, the people in favour of a school uniform say that it promotes a collective identity, helps to enforce secularism, simplifies the morning routine for parents and children and promotes equality by requiring everyone – rich or poor – to dress the same.

Those opposed to uniforms cite the extra cost to parents and say that it prevents pupils from developing and expressing their own identities. They say there is no evidence that uniforms help to promote equality or prevent bullying, and add that they can make children vulnerable to attack from pupils at rival schools.

Attal said that details of the pilot scheme will be released “in the autumn”, while several regional representatives have offered to run local trials in their area.

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POLITICS

The 3 reasons that French presidents leave office early

French President Emmanuel Macron has ruled out resigning, whatever the result of snap elections he has called for later this month - so what are the circumstances when a French president's term might come to a premature end?

The 3 reasons that French presidents leave office early

Macron has called snap parliamentary elections for the end of June, in an attempt to counter the rise of the far-right. The elections don’t directly affect the office of president since in France presidents and parliament are elected separately.

Although a loss for his party in parliament would be humiliating for Macron, he says he will not resign, telling Le Figaro: “The institutions are clear, the place of the president is clear, and it is also clear whatever the result.”

Listen to the Talking France team discuss the snap elections mean for France, for Macron himself and for foreigners living here in our latest podcast episode.

But do French presidents ever leave office early?

Under the constitution of the Fifth Republic there are three official ways that a presidency can end early, and two of those have happened since 1958.

The three routes are; resigning, dying in office or being impeached.

Dying

This one is pretty clear cut – a presidency obviously comes to an end if the president dies in office. This has happened once during the Fifth Republic, in 1974 Georges Pompidou died of cancer mid-way through his presidential term.

Further back in France’s history president Félix Faure also died in office. His sudden death reportedly occurred when he was in flagrante with his mistress.

In the case of the death of the president, the leader of the Senate takes over as interim president until fresh elections can be arranged – in 1974 this was Alain Poher who served as temporary president until the election of Valéry Giscard d’Estaing a month later.

The President of the Senate takes this role because it is possible to dissolve the Assemblée Nationale, but not the senate. As such, the continuity of the presidential office is ensured.

However, the President of the Senate does not have all presidential powers. For example, they would not have the ability to submit a bill for a referendum, dissolve the Assemblée Nationale, or propose changes to the constitution.

Resignation

The president also has a choice to submit their resignation, whether that is for personal or political reasons.

Again this has only happened once during the Fifth Republic – in 1969, French President Charles de Gaulle resigned following a failed referendum he had initiated. 

De Gaulle’s presidency reached crisis point during the mass strikes and protests of May 1968 and he even briefly left the country, worried for his personal safety. However the general fought back and convincingly won elections later in 1968.

The following year, however, he resigned following the loss of a referendum on the less-than-enthralling subject of proposed reform of the Senate and local government.

As with the death of the president in office, if the president resigns then the president of the Senate steps up as an interim – in 1969 this was again Alain Pohler.

Impeachment

The third scenario where a president may leave office before the end of their term would be impeachment – destitution in French.

This is a relatively new invention in France, as it was first added to the constitution in 2007, in the form of article 68 – and has, so far, never happened.

Impeachment can be triggered “in the event of failure [of the head of state] to fulfil his duties manifestly incompatible with the exercise of his mandate”. For example, this may be a refusal to sign laws, according to French media Ça m’interesse.

According to the French government site Vie Publique, the breach of duty may be political, but it may also be the private behaviour of the president, if his/her actions “have undermined the dignity of his office.”

READ MORE: EXPLAINED: How does the French Senate work?

The dismissal procedure can be triggered without any criminal offence. The procedure must be proposed by at least 10 percent of the Assemblée or the Senate – meaning at least 58 députés or 35 senators. 

Then the impeachment is voted on by secret ballot, with the two chambers serving as the High Court. In order to be accepted, there must be a minimum of a two-thirds majority reached in each chamber. 

During the duration of the procedure, the president would continue in office.

No French president has been impeached during the Fifth Republic, but in October 2016 the Les Républicains party attempted it against then-President François Hollande, accusing him of divulging national security secrets to two journalists who were writing a book about him. The vote was easily defeated. 

There is a separate procedure from impeachment – it is called l’empêchement and it is outlined in Article 7 of the French constitution – which is intended to be used if a president becomes mentally unable to govern.

In this case, a president can be prevented from exercising her or her mandate, but it would be up to the Constitutional Council to determine whether their mental or cognitive faculties are impaired.

Similar to death or resignation, it would be the President of the Senate who steps in while the president is incapacitated.

Military coup

It’s not an official way to end a presidency, but of France’s five (so far) republics, most have ended violently due to wars, invasion or military intervention.

This hasn’t happened during the Fifth Republic but it came close in 1961 – right-wing and military figures, furious at the French colony of Algeria being given independence by president Charles de Gaulle plotted the violent overthrow of his regime. Their plan was defeated and De Gaulle remained in office.

Since 1961 things have been a little calmer on the military coup front, but France is a country of endless surprises . . .

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