Key points
- The Senate passed an expanded version of the bill by 229 votes to 105, backed by a right-wing and centrist alliance, AFP reported.
- Protesters could be ordered to pay up to €10,000 for damage during demonstrations, including under joint liability for knowingly taking part in a group formed to commit vandalism.
- The bill was drafted after riots following Paris Saint-Germain's Champions League final win in May, and gained urgency after violence on 17 October damaged and looted thousands of businesses.
- Critics, who call the bill a 'legal travesty', warn people who took no part in vandalism could still be held liable; supporters, including Marine Le Pen, say taxpayers should not keep paying for a minority of vandals.
France's Senate has passed a bill that would make protesters financially liable for damage caused during street demonstrations, by 229 votes to 105, despite warnings from critics that it could curb the right to protest. The expanded version of the bill, backed by a right-wing and centrist alliance that holds a majority in the upper house, has been sent to the National Assembly, which is split between France's political factions, for debate and voting. Read more: Mass protests sweep France as 410,000 march over living costs and school conditions
Under the legislation, protesters could be ordered to pay up to €10,000 for damage caused during demonstrations. Interior Minister Laurent Nunez told parliament there was urgency in responding to the damage and scenes of chaos seen on 17 October. "We can no longer allow the vast majority of our fellow citizens to pay for a minority of vandals," he said, according to AFP.
Far-right leader Marine Le Pen, whom opinion polls place as the frontrunner to succeed Emmanuel Macron in next spring's presidential election, supports the legislation. Critics call it a 'legal travesty' and warn that people who took no part in vandalism could nonetheless be held liable if they were deemed to have been associated with those responsible.
The key figures
| Measure | Figure | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Senate vote | 229 to 105 | AFP |
| Maximum payment per person | €10,000 | AFP |
| Businesses damaged or looted on 17 October | Thousands | AFP |
| Cost of damage to shops and public buildings | Several hundred million euros | RFI / authorities |
| Bill approved by the government | Mid-September | RFI |
| Next step | National Assembly debate and vote | AFP |
What the bill would do
The bill's central provision is joint financial liability. Anyone found to have 'knowingly participated' in a group formed with the intent of carrying out acts of vandalism could be ordered to pay, on the same financial terms as those who carried out the damage — compensating the state, victims or insurers — even if they did not cause the damage themselves, RFI reported. AFP's reporting also notes provisions on recovering payments through welfare benefits among the bill's criticised measures.
Supporters say the change ends a system in which taxpayers repeatedly foot the bill for destruction caused during protests that turn violent. Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu has described the legislation as 'absolutely essential' to ensure taxpayers are not repeatedly asked to pay for damage caused during violent protests, according to RFI. Opponents say the net is cast too wide: a peaceful protester caught inside a group that turns violent could face a bill for damage they did not cause.
The road to the vote
The bill was drafted in response to riots that followed Paris Saint-Germain's victory over Arsenal in the UEFA Champions League final in May. It was approved by the French government in mid-September, and the Senate's law committee, dominated by the right-wing and centrist alliance, approved it the following month. The parliamentary calendar was rejigged to allow senators to debate the draft bill on 27 October, RFI reported.
It has taken on added significance after weeks of protests over inequality and soaring prices culminated in some of the worst violence France has seen in years on 17 October, when thousands of businesses across the country were damaged and looted, according to AFP. The authorities put the cost of damage to shops and public buildings during those protests at several hundred million euros, RFI reported.
What happens next
The bill now faces the National Assembly, where the political factions are divided and no camp commands a majority, and where the debate is expected to be sharper than in the Senate. If deputies amend the text, it will return to the Senate for further debate. Europe Unfolded will report the Assembly's decision, and any amendments, when they are taken.
Updates & corrections
Published 28 October 2026.
No updates or corrections have been made to this article since publication.
Sources
- Agence France-Presse, via Free Malaysia Today, 28 October 2026, on the 229–105 vote, the €10,000 cap, the National Assembly next step, the Nunez quote and the critics' warning: freemalaysiatoday.com
- Agence France-Presse, via Malay Mail, 28 October 2026, on the bill's passage and its background in the May PSG riots and the 17 October violence: malaymail.com
- Agence France-Presse, via Cebu Daily News (Inquirer), 28 October 2026, on the bill's formal title and the collective-responsibility and welfare-benefit measures: cebudailynews.inquirer.net
- Radio France Internationale, via Modern Ghana, on the bill's history, the Senate law committee's approval, the 27 October debate, the several-hundred-million-euro damage estimate and the collective-liability provision: modernghana.com