Survey Shows Sharp Rise in Religion-Based Discrimination Against Muslims in France
The findings are drawn from the 2024 Access to Rights survey by the Defenseur des droits (Defender of Rights), an independent authority responsible for promoting equality and monitoring civil liberties. The study collected responses from over 5,000 people across the country.
According to the survey, 7% of respondents said they had faced discrimination linked to religion in the past five years, compared with 5% in the 2016 edition.
The Defender of Rights also recorded a 53% increase in calls to its anti-discrimination hotline (3928) during the 2024 legislative elections, indicating heightened reporting during that period.
The report notes growing public awareness as well, with 31% of respondents saying they witnessed religion-based discrimination in 2024, up from 21% in 2016.
One segment of the report states: "The rise in discrimination on religious grounds appears to be observed across all religions. However, it is reported far more frequently by people who say they are Muslim, or who believe they are perceived as such."
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The survey found that 34% of Muslims said they had experienced discrimination linked to religion, compared with 27% in 2016. By contrast, 19% of respondents from other faiths and 4% of Christians reported similar experiences.
"The population that is Muslim (or perceived as such) therefore appears to be the most affected by discrimination based on religion: not only are these individuals proportionally more likely to experience such discrimination, but they also tend to face it more frequently as a repeated personal experience," added the report.
The Defender of Rights functions as the country’s national equality watchdog, similar to human rights commissions in other nations. Its annual assessments often inform public debate on discrimination and minority rights.
Source: Agencies
