As election wrangling heats up, French pols draw on old foe: headscarves Politicians including presidential contenders are backing expanded controls on hijabs, abayas and burkinis — part of ongoing bids to woo voters concerned about France's tradition of laïcité, or secularism.

(Courthouse News) In modern French politics, little is certain. But there is one constant: The debate over the veil — the headscarf that Muslim women might wear in various forms — will always resurface.

With the presidential election approaching in 2027 and the contenders not yet set, the hot-button issue has popped up again.

Experts say the veil is not only used as a political tool but also falsely presented as un-French and anti-feminist.

“Each time, they look for a new angle, a new way to reach women who cover their hair,” Agnès De Féo, a sociologist and documentarist who has studied the veil for decades, told Courthouse News. “And systematically, I don’t know how they do it, but they will find a new angle of attack.”

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