France’s highest administrative court, the Council of State, has upheld a decision banning lawyers from wearing visible symbols, including religious ones such as the hijab.
The ruling follows an objection from the French Bar Association, which challenged a 2023 decision by the National Bar Association prohibiting lawyers from wearing any distinguishing symbols while on duty.
The Bar Association argued that the restriction undermined lawyers’ independence. Despite the challenge, the court maintained the ban, reinforcing France’s commitment to secularism in professional settings.
