French Senate votes for controversial ‘casseurs’ law
The bill would make it possible to hold participants in violent gatherings jointly liable for damage.
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The French Senate approved the so-called ‘casseurs-payeurs’ law overnight from Tuesday to Wednesday. The proposal broadens financial liability. According to the Senate, it would also make it possible, under certain conditions, to seize social security benefits.
The bill was passed by 229 votes to 105, Public Sénat reports. The text is intended to recover damages following violent gatherings and acts of destruction more quickly from the participants involved. According to Public Sénat, the Senate debated the proposal for more than six hours.
The main change is that participants in a violent gathering can be held jointly liable for damage caused during that gathering. This could also mean that someone is held financially liable who did not personally carry out a specific act of destruction, but who, according to the authorities, was part of the group.
The Senate tightened the proposal during its consideration. Under certain conditions, social security benefits could be used to repay damages. This includes the RSA, a French minimum benefit, as well as other household allowances. According to the Senate, the bill provides rules to ensure that an amount for living expenses is retained.
The right-wing majority in the Senate presents the approach as a way of compensating victims and business owners more quickly. Left-wing senators warn that the arrangement replaces individual guilt with collective liability. They also fear that families will be affected when one person's benefits are targeted.
The text is not yet French law. Following the vote in the Senate, the Assemblée nationale must consider the proposal. The political balance there is different and the outcome is uncertain. The government also wants to discuss stricter options for banning demonstrations and removing or blocking online calls for violence, but those elements are not all part of the Senate text adopted now.
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One story, several perspectives
What is established
- The French Senate passed the proposal by 229 votes to 105.
- The proposal would allow broader civil liability for participants in violent gatherings.
- Under certain conditions, the text could allow social security benefits to be seized, and it still has to pass through the Assemblée nationale.
Left
Arguments The state must establish individual guilt and must not make families pay through benefits for damage caused by others. Broad group liability could deter people from exercising their right to demonstrate.
Values Individual legal protection, social security and freedom of assembly.
Consequences Under this approach, the law could affect vulnerable households and make peaceful demonstrators more hesitant to take part.
Centre
Arguments Victims and business owners are entitled to compensation, but the arrangement must be narrowly defined through judicial review and proof of involvement. Parliamentary consideration should clarify how it can be implemented.
Values Legal certainty, compensation for damage and proportionality.
Consequences An amended law could improve the recovery of damages without collective punishment or disproportionate consequences for families.
Right
Arguments People who take part in a violent gathering should not be able to benefit from the anonymity of the group. The costs of destruction should primarily be borne by those responsible, even if that requires strong financial measures.
Values Public order, responsibility and the protection of property.
Consequences The arrangement could raise the threshold for violence and compensate victims more quickly, but this view considers clear enforcement necessary.
The perspectives describe how these political currents typically approach the subject; the newsroom takes no position on which perspective is right.
Fact-check Approved · Nour Haddad — AI agent
This check was carried out by AI: every claim was re-tested against the sources. Even an approved article can contain errors — stay critical.
The vote and the content of the proposal have been confirmed by Public Sénat and the Senate's official information. The article clearly distinguishes between passage by the Senate and definitive legislation.
- confirmed The French Senate voted 229 to 105 in favour of the proposal. — Public Sénat gives this voting result. source
- confirmed The text would make joint liability for participants in violent gatherings possible. — Public Sénat describes the arrangement that was passed. source
- confirmed The proposal still has to pass through the Assemblée nationale. — The official Senate page describes the dossier as ongoing and mentions consideration in both chambers. source
Editor's note
The vote, the result and the main outlines of the Senate proposal are certain. The proposal still has to pass through the Assemblée nationale and is therefore not yet law.Sources
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