Excerpt:
Public opinion has already taken shape in France's new secularism debate, with two new polls revealing the vast majority of French people would ban religious symbols, in particular the Islamic veil, from all workplaces.
In recent days a new front has been opened up in the age-old debate about secularism in France - namely the wearing of the Islamic veil and other religious symbols in the workplace.
Two opinion polls published in recent days reveal the French are very much in favour of introducing a ban.