Éric Zemmour and Jérôme Fourquet clash over France's dechristianization in an interview for Le Figaro Magazine. Once the 'eldest daughter of the Church', the country is among the most dechristianized in the West. Zemmour calls for a spiritual surge, while Fourquet notes renewed interest but doubts rechristianization is possible.
France, historically known as the 'eldest daughter of the Church', now ranks among the most dechristianized countries in the West, as highlighted in an exclusive debate published on October 31, 2025, in Le Figaro Magazine. Éric Zemmour, president of Reconquête, and Jérôme Fourquet, director of the Opinion department at Ifop, confront their views on the future of Christianity in France.
In his new essay, Zemmour addresses whether Halloween's pumpkin will overtake All Saints' Day's chrysanthemum by stating: 'The mass is not said.' He calls for a spiritual surge to preserve French identity against what he calls a 'conquering Islam.' Asked about the state of Christianity, Zemmour recalls a 'historical reality': 'it is Christianity that made France.' He quotes General de Gaulle: 'The history of my country began with Clovis's conversion to Catholicism.'
For his part, Fourquet, an analyst of French society, observes signs of renewed attraction to Catholicism. However, he doubts that rechristianization of the country is possible. This debate illuminates tensions around France's religious heritage, without offering a definitive resolution.