Religion in France

Secularism has been prevalent in the French Republic for a century. According to Section 2 of the Act of December 9, 1905 ,

The Republic does not recognize, pay, or subsidize any religion. Accordingly, from January 1, after the entry into force of this Law, all expenses related to religion should be removed from the budget of the state, departments and communes. However, priest services and the free practice of religion in public institutions such as schools, colleges, hospitals, shelters and prisons may be included in budgetary expenses. Government institutions of religion have been abolished, subject to the provisions of article 3

.

Since 1905, the church and the state were officially divided throughout France, except for Alsace and the Moselle, which did not belong to it at the time of the separation.

In 2004, a law was passed prohibiting the wearing of religious symbols in public schools (Law No. 2004-228 of March 15, 2004).

On the night of September 15-16, 2011, a ban on street prayers entered into force in France. French Interior Minister Clone Géan said: “Since taking office, I have stated that prayers on the streets must be stopped because this practice offends the feelings of many of my compatriots, shocked by the fact that public space is given over to religious rites.” On September 14, an agreement was signed with the Muslim associations of the Paris quarter of Goutte d'Or (18th arrondissement) that believers, who used to pray in the streets of Mira and Polonso, should now gather for prayer in nearby buildings. The state allocated to the Muslim association a premises with an area of ​​2 thousand m² on a rental basis for three years at a fixed price of 30 thousand euros per year ^[1] .

In principle, French law prohibits a survey of religious affiliation. Priority remains to protect freedom of religion in the context of a secular republican state. However, such an assessment can be carried out by the CSA, and also based on data from religious associations.

Opinion polls

CSA survey in 2003 ^[2]

• Catholics - 62%
• Indifferent - 26%
• Muslims - 6%
• Protestants - 2%
• Jews - 1%

A survey conducted by Harris Interactive and published in The Financial Times in December 2006 showed that

• 32% of the French population consider themselves atheists ,
• 32% are agnostics ,
• 27% believe in God or in the supreme being ^[3] .

Survey of the French Institute of Public Opinion ( IFOP ) in 2007 for La Vie ^[4]

• Catholics - 64%
• Indifferent - 27%
• Muslims - 3%
• Protestants - 2.1%
• Jews - 0.6%

Research by the French Statistical Institute ( INSEE ) 2008 (publication of the 2015 Le Monde newspaper ^[5] ):

• Do not attribute themselves to any religion - 45%
• Catholics - 43%
• Orthodox - 1%
• Protestants - 2%
• Muslims - 8%
• Jews - 1%
• Buddhists - 1%
• Other - 1%

According to a global study conducted by WIN-Gallup International in 2012 ^[6] , France was named one of the least religious countries in the world. According to the study, out of 1671 respondents:

• 29% called themselves convinced atheists (4th place in the world, world average - 13%)
• 34% - non-religious people (vs. 23%)
• 37% - religious (adherents of any religion, vs. 59%)
• 1% - found it difficult to answer or refused to answer (vs. 5%)

After the end of World War II , France experienced a sharp decline in religious practices within traditional churches and an increase in Muslim and Protestant attendance through migration. In the Catholic Church, the movement of traditionalists gained the greatest strength and influence.

This decline in religious practice has continued since the 1960s . Young Catholics aged 18-24, however, are characterized by a smaller decline in religious practice.

However, the Roman Catholic Church remains predominant in France. She had a huge impact on French culture . So, most French holidays are religious. 90% of cathedrals are also Catholic. Most French feel like Catholics, but a significant minority believes in God.

• Buddhism in France
• Islam in France
• Catholicism in France
• Orthodoxy in France
• Protestantism in France