French lawmaker rejects concept of Islamophobia

Julien Odoul, a lawmaker from France’s National Rally party, has stated that he does not recognise the concept of Islamophobia and believes negative attitudes toward Islam are legally and morally permissible, sparking renewed debate over the limits of religious criticism and free speech in France.

In an interview on a French television channel, Odoul declared: "I fully reject the very concept of Islamophobia," adding that "Islamophobia is legal in our country, and we have the right not to like any religion," Caliber.Az reports per local media. 

When reminded that incitement to hatred is a criminal offense in France, not a protected opinion, Odoul pushed back, arguing that religious criticism is distinct from racism.

"Islam is a religion, not a race," he said, and described the term "Islamophobia" as political.

He went on to invoke the 2020 murder of Samuel Paty, a French history teacher beheaded by an Islamist extremist after showing caricatures of the Prophet Muhammad in a class on free expression.

"I remind you that Samuel Paty was killed after being labelled an Islamophobe. Islamophobia is a concept of the Muslim Brotherhood," Odoul added.

Odoul is a member of the National Assembly for the National Rally, the party led by Marine Le Pen, and serves as its spokesperson. His comments reflect a longstanding position within parts of the French right that reject "Islamophobia" as a term designed to shield religious beliefs from legitimate criticism.

In 2019, Odoul drew widespread criticism after asking a Muslim woman accompanying children on a school trip to a regional council in Burgundy–Franche-Comté to remove her headscarf.

In March 2025, he was found guilty in a case involving the concealment of misuse of public funds. He has appealed the ruling.

By Sabina Mammadli