Marine Le Pen has committed to holding a national referendum on measures to “combat Islamist ideologies” in France, including new fines for violations of the country’s 2010 public veiling ban, if she wins the presidency.
Le Pen, currently the frontrunner in the race, confirmed Monday that she would ask French voters to approve enforcement mechanisms for the existing law banning Islamic full-face veils in public — a law she says is rarely enforced today. The referendum would include fines for those who violate it.
“How could France defend its values with politicians who lack so much courage that they allow an ideology to claim the inferiority of women?” Le Pen said.
“Fighting against Islamist ideology and defending equality require courage and determination. Like the French people, I believe I have that courage and that determination.”
The veil referendum would be part of a broader ballot measure seeking public approval for a package of laws targeting Islamist ideology. Separately, Le Pen’s National Rally party has also pledged to let voters weigh in directly on immigration policy — including whether to end birthright citizenship, restrict welfare to French citizens only, and mandate “systematic expulsion of foreign offenders and criminals.”
A Contrast With Her Rival
Le Pen’s stance puts her at odds with her leading opponent, former Prime Minister Edouard Philippe, who said Monday: “The important thing at this stage is to respect the law as it exists today; I don’t think it’s necessary to go further.”
Le Pen fired back, saying Philippe’s remarks amounted to an admission that he “failed to properly enforce the law banning the full-face veil when he was Prime Minister.”
“Worse, he also confirms that he will do nothing against an Islamist veil that he himself denounced in 2025 as an act of submission for women and even… for little girls,” Le Pen said.
Intelligence Findings on the Muslim Brotherhood
The debate over veiling comes as French intelligence has flagged the practice as part of a broader strategy of subversion. A major French intelligence report released last year found that the Muslim Brotherhood places trained operatives inside Islamic community institutions — including teachers, sports organizers, shop managers, employment counselors, and even dating coaches — to enforce hardline Quranic practices such as fasting, beards, and the veiling of women and girls.
The report concluded that this effort to “supervise the life of the Muslim” is part of a wider push to undermine Western institutions and advance an Islamic “conquest strategy” across Europe.
