Religious Radicalization in France: Contextualizing the 2021 ‘Anti-Separatism’ Bill

Introduction

In the wake of the brutal murder of French high school teacher Samuel Paty on October 16, 2020, the discourse on religious radicalization and home-grown terrorism in French polity has been rekindled. In April 2021, the French Parliament passed a bill titled ‘Strengthening Respect for Republican Principles’, or the ‘Anti-Separatism Bill’, as it is popularly called. The legislation makes it incumbent upon local and federal law enforcement bodies to adopt a community-based approach to identifying, dismantling, and rehabilitating individuals and networks associated with Islamic radicalization. It underscores the need for engaging with religious councils, community leaders, and civil society actors to stem the proliferation of online radicalization networks. In the light of the Bill’s publication, this Commentary lays out the field for counter-radicalization in France and outlines a historical, political, cultural, and security context for the latest measures adopted by the state. It also engages with its potential consequences for the national and regional security landscape, and points of critique raised against it.