Articles by Victor Goury-Laffont

Children & Teens

French PM blasts predecessor’s proposal to ban headscarves for most children Gabriel Attal, who now heads the French president’s centrist political party, floated banning headscarves for women younger than 15.

May 27, 2025   

(Politico) French Prime Minister François Bayrou on Tuesday delivered a scathing critique of his predecessor and centrist ally Gabriel Attal’s proposal to ban Muslim headscarves for minors under 15. Attal, the leader of President Emmanuel Macron’s Renaissance political party, publicly floated the […]

Government & Politics

Leaked Muslim Brotherhood report criticized as ‘alarmist’ by academics and civil society The document alleges that the Egypt-based Islamist organization is attempting to influence policymakers as part of the group’s long-held goal of establishing a state governed by Islamic law.

May 22, 2025   

(Politico) Academics and representatives from France’s Muslim community are denouncing a leaked government report on the influence of the Muslim Brotherhood in the country and across Europe. The report, commissioned [by] the French government last year, alleges that the Egypt-based Islamist organization […]

Discrimination & “Islamophobia”

Muslim Brotherhood-linked groups tried to influence EU: report French authorities allege the Islamist group has gone to great lengths to push its fundamentalist agenda in France and throughout Europe.

May 21, 2025 , and   

(Politico) A bombshell report from the French authorities alleges that organizations with links to the Muslim Brotherhood have been attempting to influence European Union institutions through “significant lobbying activities.” A version of the document seen by POLITICO before its official publication says […]

Government & Politics

France vows response after Algeria refuses to cooperate with expulsion order Paris is seeking to deport Algerian nationals it deems a threat, but Algiers won’t take them back.

March 18, 2025   

(Politico) French Interior Minister Bruno Retailleau vowed a “gradual response” after Algeria refused Paris’ demand to readmit Algerian nationals from France that local authorities have deemed a threat and are seeking to expel. Retailleau’s threat comes after the French government last week […]

Clothing

French PM convenes Cabinet members after ministers spar over banning hijabs in sports Cracks started to appear within the government over the issue in recent days.

March 18, 2025   

(Politico) French Prime Minister François Bayrou convened key Cabinet members on Tuesday after divisions among ministers over banning athletes from wearing hijabs during sporting events spilled into public view. “There’s only one line within the government … no visible religious symbols should […]

Context

Deadly knife attack reignites France’s politically charged immigration debate How the government responds to Saturday’s tragedy will have domestic and geopolitical ramifications.

February 26, 2025   

(Politico) French Prime Minister François Bayrou will hold an emergency meeting Wednesday to draw up a response to a deadly weekend knife attack in the Alsatian city of Mulhouse. The alleged perpetrator of the incident is a 37-year-old Algerian citizen, a French […]

Discrimination & “Islamophobia”

‘Insane’ Magdeburg Christmas market attack turns up heat on Germany’s politicians Reports that suspect was a refugee from Saudi Arabia who hated Muslims raise complicated questions during German election campaign.

December 21, 2024 and   

(Politico) The German government is reeling from an attack on a Christmas market in the city of Magdeburg that saw at least five people killed when a car apparently driven by an “Islamophobic” Saudi Arabian refugee plowed into Friday evening crowds. With […]

Government & Politics

Macron, hard-line interior minister agree to disagree on immigration crackdown after first meeting The meeting was described as an opportunity to share perspectives — without the goal of reaching an agreement.

October 21, 2024   

(Politico) When Interior Minister Bruno Retailleau headed over to the Elysée palace to meet President Emmanuel Macron on Monday, he wasn’t looking for commonality. He went to stand his ground. Macron and Retailleau spoke face to face for the first [time] since […]

Government & Politics

France slashes Olympics opening ceremony crowd size amid terror attack fears French President Emmanuel Macron asked for capacity to be reduced to half of what was initially planned for showpiece event.

March 5, 2024   

(Politico) France has scaled down the Paris 2024 Olympic Games opening ceremony which will take place in July on the River Seine, amid concerns over a theoretical Islamist terror attack. Boats carrying each nation’s flag-bearers will pass on the water in the […]