Starting January 1, 2024, France will no longer accept new "detached" imams, meaning those sent by other countries, in line with a 2020 announcement by President Emmanuel Macron. These imams will either have to return to their home countries.
After April 1, 2024, detached imams still present on French soil will not be allowed to remain under this status, as stated by the French Ministry of the Interior. Those already in France will need to change their status.
Imported imams primarily come from Algeria, Morocco, and Turkey.
They have been associated with the propagation of extremist Salafist messages.
As France takes measures to regulate its religious leadership landscape, this move represents a significant shift in the country's approach to the role of imams within its Muslim community.