Named after the chair Bernard Stasi, ombudsman of the (French) Republic (médiateur de la République) since 1998, and consisting of 20 members, it was set up by the President Jacques Chirac on 3 July 2003.
It is portrayed as a dangerous political agenda that will create a major obstacle for Muslims to comply with French secularism or "laïcité ".
To this end the Stasi Commission lead to the introduction of the French law on secularity and conspicuous religious symbols in schools.
Despite this apparent resolution to the questions concerning laïcité, the controversy surrounding the wearing of the hijab and the media attention paid to it has meant that it remains a source of disagreement within the political class.
The Commission also called for the incorporation of 'accomodements raisonables' or reasonable accommodation into the principles of laïcité for problems that are not covered by the 1905 French law on the Separation of the Churches and the State.