French Court Orders Government to Lift Ban on Religious Gatherings

This decision follows a referral in summary proceedings by several associations and individual applicants. According to the order issued, the interim judge suggests the adoption of "less strict control measures" such as "tolerance of gatherings of less than 10 people in other public places", admitted in the decree issued by Prime Minister Edouard Philippe on May 11, reports AFP.

"He therefore considers that the general and absolute prohibition has a disproportionate character with regard to the objective of preserving public health and thus, given the essential nature of this component of freedom of worship, constitutes a serious and manifestly unlawful infringement of the latter," emphasizes the Council of State. Consequently, the highest administrative court orders the government to lift it "within a period of eight days".

For Bruno Retailleau, president of the LR group in the Senate, this decision is "good news for freedom of worship, which is a fundamental right." "Very satisfied with the outcome of the freedom-referral procedure," exults the president of the Christian Democratic Party, Jean-Frédéric Poisson, in a tweet. He is one of the applicants and is asking the government not to "drag its feet on its execution".