France weighs reintroducing uniforms for schoolchildren

France's National Assembly on Thursday will debate whether or not to reintroduce uniforms in schools, a motion that was brought up by former presidential candidate Marine Le Pen's far-right party Rassemblement National (RN). 

The debate comes as the government of President Emmanuel Macron seeks to bolster France's education standards, announcing new measures to help schoolchildren improve basic arithmetic, reading and writing skills. 

Uniforms have not been obligatory in France since 1968, but the topic has come back to the country's the political agenda. 

Many who favor uniforms argue that it promotes equality, by erasing differences of social status and wealth. But others say the debate is a distraction from other serious issues plaguing schoolchildren, such as academic performance. 

Education minister Pap Ndiaye has previously argued against imposing a uniform for all pupils. Gabriel Attal, minister of Public Action and Accounts and Macron ally, told French broadcaster BFMTV that school administrators and parents should have the last word on the issue — in other words that uniforms should not be made compulsory. 

First lady begs to differ 

But France's first lady, Brigitte Macron, came out in favor of reimposing uniforms nationwide, rejecting her husband's government on the matter in an interview with Le Parisien newspaper.

She said she had worn a uniform as a pupil for some 15 years and had "thought it was fine." 

"It erases differences, we save time — it's time-consuming to choose how to dress in the morning — and money, compared to [buying designer] brands", the first lady told Le Parisien. 

"So I am in favor of wearing a school uniform but with a simple and not dull outfit," she said. 

Brigitte Macron is a retired Latin and literature teacher of 20 years, who met her current husband Emmanuel in one of her after-school theatre classes. 

In the interview Macron said she too had to wear a uniform for school for some 15 years.