page_title: Secularism in France
hierarchical_section_title: Secularism in France
caption_attribution_description: Français&#160;: Tympan d'une église (Aups, Var) avec la devise de l'état français datant de 1905 apposée pour signifier que l'église appartient à l'Etat (cf . [1]) English: Tympanum of a church (Aups, Var department). The Republican motto "Liberté, Egalité, Fraternité" was put on in 1905 (following the French law on the separation of the state and the church) to show that this church was owned by the state. Such inscriptions are very rare, and this one was restored in 1989 during the bicentennial of the French Revolution. Español: Tímpano de una iglesia (Aups, Var department). The Republican motto "Liberté, Egalité, Fraternité" was put on in 1905 (following the French law on the separation of the state and the church) to show that this church was owned by the state. Such inscriptions are very rare, and this one was restored in 1989 during the bicentennial of the French Revolution.
context_page_description: Secularism is a constitutional principle of France. Article 1 of the French Constitution is commonly interpreted as discouraging religious involvement in government affairs, especially religious influence in the determination of state policies; it also forbids government involvement in religious affairs, and especially prohibits government influence in the determination of religion. Secularism in France does not preclude a right to the free exercise of religion.
  French secularism has a long history. For the last century, the French government policy has been based on the 1905 French law on the Separation of the Churches and the State, which is however not applicable in Alsace and Moselle.
context_section_description: Secularism (French: laïcité [la.i.si.te], from laïc, from Latin lāicus, a loanword from the Greek λᾱϊκός lāïkós "of the people", from λᾱός lāós "people", with the suffix -ité "-ity") is a constitutional principle of France. Article 1 of the French Constitution is commonly interpreted as discouraging religious involvement in government affairs, especially religious influence in the determination of state policies; it also forbids government involvement in religious affairs, and especially prohibits government influence in the determination of religion. Secularism in France does not preclude a right to the free exercise of religion.
  French secularism has a long history. For the last century, the French government policy has been based on the 1905 French law on the Separation of the Churches and the State, which is however not applicable in Alsace and Moselle.
caption: Motto of the French republic on the tympanum of a church in Aups, Var department, which was installed after the 1905 law on the Separation of the State and the Church. Such inscriptions on a church are very rare; this one was restored during the 1989 bicentennial of the French Revolution.
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