The French legal framework governing language is founded on the constitutional principle that French is the language of the Republic while progressively recognising regional languages as part of the country’s cultural heritage. French language policy therefore combines a longstanding commitment to linguistic unity with increasing support for linguistic diversity in the fields of culture, heritage and education.
The modern legal framework rests primarily on two constitutional provisions and one major statute. Article 2 of the Constitution of 4 October 1958, introduced by the Constitutional Law of 25 June 1992, provides that “the language of the Republic is French”, establishing French as the language of public administration, legislation, justice and public services. The principal legislative instrument implementing this constitutional principle is Law No. 94-665 of 4 August 1994 on the use of the French language (Loi Toubon). Named after the Minister of Culture Jacques Toubon, the Law establishes a right for citizens and consumers to receive essential information in French by requiring the use of French in public administration, employment, consumer information, advertising and public services. It does not prohibit the use of other languages in artistic creation, cultural activities or international communication. Earlier texts, notably the Ordinance of Villers-Cotterêts (1539), which introduced French into royal administrative and judicial acts, remain important historical references illustrating the long-standing role of language in the construction of the French State (Constitution of 4 October 1958, Article 2; Law No. 94-665 of 4 August 1994 on the use of the French language).
Responsibility for implementing language policy lies primarily with the Délégation générale à la langue française et aux langues de France (DGLFLF), an interministerial department within the Ministry of Culture. The DGLFLF coordinates national language policy, promotes the use and enrichment of the French language, supports the safeguarding, transmission and promotion of the langues de France (regional and minority languages traditionally spoken within the national territory), encourages multilingualism, and contributes to the international promotion of French. The Decree No. 96-602 of 3 July 1996 on the enrichment of the French language established the institutional framework through which official French terminology is developed, particularly for new scientific and technological concepts, in cooperation with specialised terminology commissions and the Académie française, the learned institution responsible for safeguarding and promoting the French language. (Ministry of Culture, Délégation générale à la langue française et aux langues de France; Decree No. 96-602 of 3 July 1996 on the enrichment of the French language).
Alongside the constitutional status of French, the Constitution also recognises the cultural value of regional languages. Since the constitutional revision of 23 July 2008, Article 75-1 provides that “regional languages belong to the heritage of France”. Although this provision does not confer official language status or create individual linguistic rights, it establishes regional languages as an element of national cultural heritage and provides an important constitutional basis for public policies supporting their preservation and transmission (Constitution of 4 October 1958, Article 75-1).
This constitutional balance was reaffirmed by the Constitutional Council in Decision No. 2021-818 DC of 21 May 2021 concerning the so-called Molac Law (Law on the Protection and Promotion of Regional Languages). The Council ruled that immersive teaching, understood as using a regional language as the principal language of instruction in public schools, was incompatible with Article 2 of the Constitution because French must remain the language of public education. At the same time, the decision confirmed the legality of bilingual education and did not call into question public support for the teaching, promotion and cultural development of regional languages (langues de France);. In practice, languages such as Breton, Occitan, Basque, Corsican, Catalan and Alsatian continue to benefit from bilingual education in both public schools and associative school networks, as well as from regional broadcasting services, publishing initiatives and cultural projects supported by regional authorities and the Ministry of Culture (Constitutional Council, Decision No. 2021-818 DC of 21 May 2021; Ministry of Culture, Languages of France).
Beyond domestic regulation, language policy also forms part of France’s external cultural action. The promotion of the French language through the Organisation internationale de la Francophonie (OIF), cultural diplomacy and international cultural cooperation constitutes a major component of French cultural policy abroad, complementing domestic measures designed to safeguard the use of French within the national territory.
Contemporary French language policy is characterised by a continuing balance between three complementary objectives: safeguarding French as the common language of public life; preserving and promoting the linguistic diversity represented by the langues de France; and strengthening the international role of the French language through cultural diplomacy and the Francophonie in an increasingly multilingual and digital environment.
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