The deputy Aristide Briand makes vote the law of separation of the Church and the State on December 9, 1905. He puts an end to the Napoleonean Legal settlement of 1801 which governs the relationship between the French government and the catholic Church. This law poses the principle of the freedom of religion and worship of the people and the communities guaranteed by the State. It is the pillar of the laic institutions. Extract of the principal articles:

Article 1 - The Republic ensures the freedom of conscience. It guarantees the free exercise of the worships under the only restrictions enacted hereafter in the interest of the law and order.

Article 2 - The Republic does not recognize, does not pay nor does not subsidize any worship. Consequently, as from January 1 which will follow the promulgation of this law, will be removed budgets of the State, departments and communes, all expenditure relating to the exercise of the worships.

Article 12 - The buildings which were placed at the disposal of the nation and which, under the terms of the law of the 18 germinal year X, is used for the public exercise of the worships or housing of their ministers (cathedrals, churches, vaults, synagogues, archbishop's palaces, évêchés, presbyteries, seminars), like their real descent, and the objects movable which furnished them at the time when the aforementioned buildings were given to the worships, are and remain publicly-owned establishment and, department, commune state-owned properties of inter-commune co-operation having taken competence as regards buildings of the worships. For these buildings, as for those posterior with the law of the 18 germinal year X, whose State, departments and communes would be owners, including faculties of Protestant theology, it will be proceeded in accordance with the provisions of the following articles.

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