The highest court of the European Union has ruled that countries can restrict religious symbols worn by their employees, according to a report by the BBC. The court emphasized that such measures must only be imposed in situations where they are absolutely necessary. This decision was made in response to a complaint from a Belgian woman who argued that her local government violated her religious freedom by prohibiting her from wearing the Islamic headscarf.

When asked to comment on the matter, the Court of Justice of the European Union affirmed that member states have the authority to determine the extent of restrictions on religious freedoms that they consider appropriate and necessary. Currently, France is actively implementing a ban on religious symbols in public schools and government buildings. In August, Gabriel Attal, the French Minister of Education, announced that republican schools will enforce a complete prohibition on religious symbols for students, including headscarves, which some perceive as a measure of discrimination.