France: Prayer mark closes police doors to him, he gets the State condemned
A candidate for the national police force, rejected in 2021 because of a visible mark on his forehead linked to prayer, has finally won his case. The Council of State considers that this physical characteristic was not sufficient to cast doubt on his respect for neutrality.
The young man wanted to become an auxiliary police officer in Paris. But during the administrative investigation preceding his recruitment, a distinctive feature of his face attracted attention: a pigmented mark on his forehead, known as a “tabâa,” caused by the forehead’s regular contact with the prayer rug during prayer.
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For the police prefecture, this mark resulting from assiduous religious practice could constitute a visible manifestation of his religious affiliation. The administration also mentioned a possible “risk of identity withdrawal” incompatible with the duty of neutrality imposed on police officers. His approval was ultimately refused on October 29, 2021.
The candidate then took the matter to court. The Paris Administrative Court initially upheld the refusal in April 2023, before the Paris Administrative Court of Appeal ruled in his favor in October 2024. However, the Interior Ministry decided to bring the case before the Council of State.
A physical mark is not enough
In its decision of July 27, 2026, the Council of State recalled that police officers must comply with a strict obligation of neutrality and may not express their religious beliefs while on duty. But this requirement does not, for all that, allow a candidate to be rejected solely on the basis of a physical consequence of their private religious practice.
The highest administrative court noted that the mark on the candidate’s forehead did indeed result from a rite associated with a religion. But its mere presence did not make it possible to conclude that he intended to disregard his obligations once he became a police officer.
One factor also weighed in the case: the candidate had indicated that he was prepared to reduce the visibility of the mark so that it could not be interpreted as a manifestation of his religious beliefs while on duty.
The Council of State nevertheless adopted a particular legal approach. It first annulled the judgment of the Administrative Court of Appeal, considering that the latter had made an error of law in its reasoning. Then, ruling itself on the merits, it concluded that the administration could not lawfully refuse approval on that ground.
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The refusal issued by the police prefect in 2021 is therefore definitively annulled, as is the first judgment that upheld it. The State must also pay the candidate 3,000 euros for his legal costs.
