Dorothy Voorhees

With under 50 days until the first round of the presidential elections (the primary paper here, Le Monde, has a countdown going), French political life is reaching its high point of activity. Each candidate is doing his (or her) best to gain the most favorable position, paying careful attention to the latest polls, which come out practically every week. In that respect, following politics in France is much like following a sports team- new rankings every week, analysis of the smallest phrases- what makes the poll numbers go up or down, what shifts public opinion.

In writing about the impact of religion on French politics today, it is almost easier to phrase the problem as the impact of the lack of religion on French politics today. The effects of this lack of religion can be seen both in the modification of traditional French customs. For example, marriage in France has become an essentially civil affair, and fewer French couples are marrying than in the past. In this essay, I will use the example of marriage to illustrate the interaction of religion with French civil life, and how the French concept of laïcité has directed the evolution of French politics.