The debate over whether the abaya—a long, loose robe worn by some women—constitutes a religious symbol has reignited in France. In 2023, the French education ministry banned the abaya in schools, arguing that it functions as a religious symbol. This decision was supported by the Council of State, which found it in line with the 2004 laïcité (secularism) law. The council noted that some students were using the abaya "in a logic of religious affirmation," meaning it was being worn to express religious identity. Mathilde Panot, the leader of the LFI parliamentary group, has said that if Jean-Luc Mélenchon wins the 2027 presidential election, the ban on the abaya in schools would be lifted. She criticized the current rule as "absurd," pointing to an example where two girls wearing identical robes were treated differently based on perceived ethnicity. This has raised concerns about potential discrimination and the arbitrary enforcement of the ban. The Council of the French Muslim Faith has stated that the abaya has never been a religious garment or a religious requirement. It is a traditional clothing item that originated in Mesopotamia over 4,000 years ago, long before the rise of Islam. According to the Quran, there is no specific reference to the abaya, further supporting the view that it is a cultural rather than a religious item. Sophie Gherardi, founder of the Centre d’étude du fait religieux contemporain (Cefrelco), argues that there is no canonical text defining the abaya as a religious symbol. She suggests that the perception of the abaya in France is partly due to a "confusion with Arab traditions," as most French Muslims are from Arab countries. Gherardi emphasizes that the abaya is a traditional garment that can be used to express modesty, not necessarily religious affiliation. She also notes that the current debate over the abaya echoes historical arguments about religious attire, such as the 1905 ban on clerical robes, which led to the creation of new distinguishing garments. Marine Le Pen of the National Rally accused Mélenchon and LFI of becoming "subcontractors of Islamist ideology" in response to the proposed removal of the abaya ban. The debate highlights the difficulty in determining whether a garment is religious and who has the authority to make such determinations. It underscores the complex interplay between cultural identity, religious expression, and state secularism in France.