The proposal has thus been a staple of Le Pen’s presidential campaigns, even though its wording and implementation have regularly evolved. The issue once again sparked deep divisions within the RN last spring. Jordan Bardella had expressed doubts about the feasibility and appropriateness of a blanket ban in public spaces, while Le Pen refused to abandon this long-standing platform issue. In July, she even considered putting the issue to a referendum to give the measure popular legitimacy and circumvent constitutional hurdles.
This hesitation has now officially been put to rest: the RN fully intends to make the ban on the veil a key part of its presidential platform for 2027.
The focus is on the hijab, not just the niqab or the burqa. This point deserves clarification, as France already prohibits certain forms of face coverings in public spaces. Under the 2010 law, it is illegal to conceal one’s face in public spaces. This provision specifically targets the niqab and the burqa, which prevent the identification of the individual. The law imposes a fine on violators. However, it does not prohibit veils that leave the face uncovered.
It is precisely this second category that the RN now wishes to target. It would therefore not simply be a matter of extending the ban on the niqab or the burqa: the hijab – a headscarf that covers the hair but leaves the face visible – would also be affected.
French law is currently much more limited. The 2004 law prohibits students in public elementary, middle and high schools from wearing symbols or clothing that conspicuously display religious affiliation. The Islamic headscarf is explicitly included among the symbols covered by this ban. However, this prohibition does not apply to society as a whole, nor does it apply on the street, in stores or on public transportation.
City councils are one of the new battlegrounds. Following the March 2026 municipal elections, several elected women wore the veil during city council meetings. In Chalon-sur-Saône, the Dijon Administrative Court upheld, in summary proceedings, the ban on conspicuous religious symbols imposed on elected officials during sessions.
However, the legal framework remains a subject of debate. The RN has introduced a bill aimed at prohibiting local elected officials from wearing the hijab and other conspicuous religious symbols while performing their duties.
A few weeks earlier, RN MP Sébastien Chenu explained that the party was initially considering a ban in “public buildings”, particularly universities and the civil service, before gradually extending it to the streets. He spoke of a “step-by-step” implementation. The RN has therefore not, at this stage, finalized all the practical details of the ban.
A European Trend
The RN can draw on Portugal’s recent experience. In August, the Portuguese president enacted a law passed by Parliament that strengthens rules regarding the identification of individuals in public spaces. The bill, initially sponsored by Chega, targets the full-face veil, not the hijab. The Portuguese Parliament had passed the bill with the support of the governing right, despite opposition from the left.
The precedent is therefore legally different but politically significant. André Ventura, the leader of Chega, has maintained close ties with Le Pen for several years. She came to Portugal in 2021 to support him in person, and the two parties now sit in the same European parliamentary group, Patriots for Europe. In 2026, Le Pen once again publicly congratulated Ventura after he advanced to the second round of the Portuguese presidential election.
A Strategic Bet
The strategic question remains. For Le Pen, a ban on the veil could be a way to consolidate her voter base or, conversely, pose an obstacle to winning over the moderate voters she will need in the second round.
The paradox is real. The measure enjoys overwhelming public support, and even more so among RN supporters: according to the Verian poll for Le Monde published in January 2026, 94% of the party’s supporters favored a ban on the hijab in public spaces, compared to 66% of all French people surveyed.
However, this popularity does not necessarily mean the measure is politically neutral. A blanket ban on the hijab could therefore reignite accusations of stigmatization and provide her opponents with a particularly effective line of attack at a time when Le Pen is seeking to present herself as a candidate capable of forming a government.
The RN itself is aware of this. The doubts expressed by Jordan Bardella and several party leaders in recent months reflected fears that this pledge might complicate the party’s strategy of normalization. But Le Pen seems to have made the opposite choice: she believes that abandoning this historic symbol would cost the RN more than the risk of losing a few moderate voters.
The risk involved is likely minimal. On the center-right, figures such as Laurent Wauquiez and Bruno Retailleau – who is also a candidate – have for several months been helping to promote tougher stances on the headscarf within their political camp. Marine Le Pen sets herself apart by going even further – calling for a ban on the hijab for all women in public spaces.
While Le Pen is simultaneously seeking to reassure business circles – as she did again during the Mouvement des entreprises de France (MEDEF) debate on Thursday 27 August – and to appear as a candidate capable of governing, the RN is bringing a traditional party proposal back to the center of the debate. The aim is to turn a controversial measure into a sign of resolve, drawing on public opinion that is largely in its favor. It remains to be seen, in the race to the second round, how this resolve will be perceived.
