Béziers Mayor’s Nativity Display Sparks Protests and Renewed Debate Over France’s Secularism Law

A nativity scene installed in the courtyard of Béziers town hall by Mayor Robert Ménard has prompted protests and renewed legal scrutiny over France’s strict secularism rules. Demonstrators gathered outside the town hall on Saturday to denounce the display, arguing public buildings must remain free of religious symbols.

What happened

Mr Ménard, a centre-right mayor, has placed a nativity scene in the municipal courtyard for the 11th consecutive year. He has previously been convicted eight times in relation to the display but said he would keep the installation in place. Supporters point to the large number of signatures in a guest book kept near the scene; Mr Ménard says it attracts between 20,000 and 25,000 entries and "brings everyone together." Critics, including human rights activists, say the placement violates the principle of laïcité (secularism) enshrined in French law.

Legal context

Article 28 of the 1905 law on the separation of church and state states: "It is prohibited, in the future, to erect or affix any religious sign or emblem on public monuments or in any public place, with the exception of buildings used for worship, burial grounds in cemeteries, funerary monuments, and museums or exhibitions."

Protesters carried placards such as "The nativity scene is great! But not here" and messages warning that undermining secularism risks broader social consequences. Sophie Mazas, a lawyer and activist with the League of Human Rights, said a crib on private property or church steps is acceptable, but not in the courtyard of a town hall, particularly on the 120th anniversary of the 1905 law.

Wider debate and related cases

Mr Ménard is among roughly ten French mayors who annually place nativity scenes in municipal buildings in defiance of court orders. Last year the town of Beaucaire, led by a National Rally mayor, was fined €120,000 for refusing to remove its nativity scene. Louis Aliot, mayor of Perpignan and vice-president of National Rally, also installs a nativity scene in his town hall each year.

Mr Ménard has defended his decision as non-proselytising and rooted in local tradition. He has also announced a planned Hanukkah celebration in the town hall courtyard on December 15, an event that has drawn criticism from some of the same protesters.

What's next

The controversy highlights the ongoing tension in France between public expressions of cultural or religious tradition and the legal commitment to secularism. With municipal elections approaching next year, both supporters and opponents see the dispute as politically charged. Further legal challenges and potential penalties remain possible as courts continue to apply the 1905 law.