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Senate Passes Protest Liability Law With Up to €10,000 Penalties

By Drooid · Oct 28, 2026, 10:54 UTC · How we work

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Summary

The Senate approved a bill that makes protesters financially liable for damage, with penalties up to €10,000.
The measure passed 229-105, supported by a right-wing and centrist alliance.
Interior Minister Laurent Nunez called the law urgent after the October 17 riots that damaged thousands of businesses.
The bill permits seizure of welfare benefits, family allowances, housing assistance, back-to-school allowance and employment bonus.

History

The October-November 2005 riots that began in Clichy-sous-Bois, sparked by two youths’ deaths, led President Jacques Chirac to declare a state of emergency on 8 November and prompted Interior Minister Nicolas Sarkozy to push harsh immigration and asset-seizure measures. Those emergency policies, which targeted protest-related damage—including the burning of more than 8,000 vehicles—form the precedent for today’s Senate vote expanding fines and benefit seizures.

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Historical Context

The October-November 2005 riots that began in Clichy-sous-Bois, sparked by two youths’ deaths, led President Jacques Chirac to declare a state of emergency on 8 November and prompted Interior Minister Nicolas Sarkozy to push harsh immigration and asset-seizure measures. Those emergency policies, which targeted protest-related damage—including the burning of more than 8,000 vehicles—form the precedent for today’s Senate vote expanding fines and benefit seizures.

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