Following the death of Pope Francis, France's plans for tributes have prompted heated debates surrounding the country's secularism principle known as laicite. While French flags will be flown at half mast on the day of the Pope's funeral, no official day of mourning was declared by President Macron. Critics like MP Alexis Corbieres argue that this decision violates the strict religious neutrality that laicite demands, warning against inconsistent applications of secularism in honoring religious figures while potentially overlooking others.
The principle of laicite is a bedrock of French political life, leading to regular disputes over how it is applied, particularly in cases involving religious figures.
Corbieres argues that if flags are flown at half mast for one religious leader, it creates a 'variable-geometry secularism' that is inconsistent with the principles of laicite.
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