She was told she would be able to wear a discreet cross around her neck. France has a strict principle of laïcité - secularism - which means that religious clothing cannot be worn in government buildings. As well as care homes, this includes local government offices and schools. The French state and church were officially separated by law in 1905 to give form to the concept of secularism rooted in the 1789 French Revolution. Also this year, French sports retailer Decathlon was forced by public pressure to back down from a plan to sell a runner's hijab in France.

Source: The Local November 19, 2019 14:03 UTC