On March 12 at the Grande Mosquée de Paris, a speech by Laurent Nunez resurfaces on social media. The Minister of the Interior was opposed to a ban on headscarves for minors.
A few weeks old speech, which is now making waves on social media and even in the political class. For the past few hours, a speech given by Laurent Nunez on March 12 at the Grande Mosquée de Paris has been circulating on social media and has been strongly criticized by Marine Le Pen. The president of the RN group in the Assembly accuses Laurent Nunez of “aligning” with the far-left regarding Islam, especially regarding headscarves worn by minors. This evening, at the 5th edition of the Ambassadors’ Iftar in the presence of the rector Chems-eddine Hafiz, numerous ambassadors, Anne Hidalgo, Ségolène Royal, several prefects, elected officials, and representatives of various religions, the Minister of the Interior spoke for about ten minutes.
The most commented part of his speech is about headscarves for minors, a topic that had already caused fractures within the executive branch last winter. While Aurore Bergé had spoken in favor of banning headscarves for young girls in public spaces, Laurent Nunez takes the opposite stance here. “France must not lose its children along the way, and it must not lose any of its children because they feel stigmatized or hurt,” he asserts first, before elaborating on his point.
“Mieux connaître l’islam”
“This justifies my position on the ban on headscarves in public spaces for minors. I will not be the one to explain to children that by wearing a headscarf, they threaten the republican way of life,” he continues, in a passage that encapsulates the essence of the controversy: “I will not do it because I do not believe in it and because such a measure would only divert attention from the real threat. This is a proposal that, in my opinion, would discredit the real fight against political Islam, which is essential.”
Another particularly noted sequence is where Laurent Nunez acknowledges wanting to support a better visibility of the Muslim faith. “This is also what justifies and will justify that I promote and defend, as Minister of Religions, any initiative that can contribute to better understanding Islam,” he says, addressing the rector of the Grande Mosquée: “And you know, my dear Chems, how much the President of the Republic is committed to developing and better understanding Islam.”
“Croire que l’islam serait incompatible avec la République, c’est tout simplement inaudible”
In the preamble of his speech, Laurent Nunez first explains his conception of the role of Minister of Religions. “I am a minister of religions who dialogues with all religions, without exception, without distinction, without moderation.” He then emphasizes his stance: “My conduct, my line of thought, is resolutely firm against religious fanaticism, without ever expressing any discourse or position that hurts, brutalizes, or stigmatizes.” The minister also recalls the figures of anti-Muslim acts and the murders of Aboubakar Cissé and Hichem Miraoui in 2025. “Protecting Muslims in France means nothing more than guaranteeing the freedom to believe and practice their faith. In short, it is nothing more than respecting the 1905 law.” At the same time, he warns against “the instrumentalization of Islam” and affirms: “We cannot ignore that some seek to divert Islam from its spirituality to make it a political project.”
In the rest of his speech, the minister defends a vision of Islam fully compatible with the republican framework. “Muslims in France today have a particular responsibility. That of showing that Islam lived here in our Republic is an Islam of wisdom, knowledge, and responsibility.” Before concluding more directly: “Believing that Islam is incompatible with the Republic is simply unimaginable.”
“Des propos ‘inquiétants’, selon Marine Le Pen”
It is this sequence – the refusal to ban headscarves for minors in public spaces, denouncing the risk of stigmatization, and openly promoting “better understanding Islam” – that fuels the strongest reactions online.
Marine Le Pen reacted this Thursday morning. “The statements of the Minister of the Interior are somewhat worrying. By aligning with the communitarian positions of the far left on the veiling of minors, while the rector of the Grande Mosquée de Paris recalled that veiling should not exist in France for children, Laurent Nunez weakens the republican pact by attacking one of its fundamental pillars, secularism.”
“The role of the Minister of the Interior is not to ensure the development of Islam,” Jordan Bardella affirms
Jordan Bardella also reacted in the same critical line towards the Minister of the Interior. The president of the National Rally opposes the mission he assigns to Beauvau to the statements made by Laurent Nunez during this speech. “The role of the Minister of the Interior is not to ensure the development of Islam and tolerate the veiling of young girls in public spaces: it is to maintain order, guarantee secularism, and fight against anarchic immigration,” he states. “At least this will be the role of the Minister of the Interior if the French people entrust us with the destinies of the country.”
(Note: This article is a neutral report on various reactions to a speech by French Minister of the Interior, Laurent Nunez, regarding headscarves for minors and the promotion of better understanding of Islam.)
