French Parliament Passes First Reading of 'Presumption of Legality' Law for Police Shootings

• The French National Assembly has passed a first reading of a law establishing a "presumption of legality" for police officers in cases of lethal shooting.
• The legislation shifts the burden of proof, effectively treating police gunfire as necessary and proportional by default, forcing victims' families to prove otherwise.
• UN human rights experts and civil society groups have condemned the move as a major violation of the right to life and a degradation of human rights.

Legislative Context

• The 2017 Cazeneuve Law (Article L435-1) previously expanded the scope for police to open fire based on the subjective interpretation of "future danger."
• The 2026 amendment goes further by reversing the burden of proof, abandoning the requirement for the state to justify the use of lethal force.
• To expedite passage, the government invoked Article 44.3 of the Constitution, a "blocked vote" procedure that excluded hundreds of opposition amendments.

Judicial and Human Rights Implications

• France currently reports one of the highest numbers of deaths from police interventions in Europe.
• Amnesty International reports that between 2017 and 2026, fewer than 2% of 437 lethal police shooting cases resulted in firm convictions.
• Victims' advocates argue that the new law effectively grants police "a license to kill" and will make it impossible to secure justice, as critical evidence like CCTV footage often disappears quickly.
• The IGPN (General Inspectorate of the National Police), often criticized for its lack of independence, remains the primary body investigating police conduct.

Political Dynamics

• Critics highlight the law's potential impact on racialized youth in marginalized neighborhoods, noting documented biases in police stop-and-search practices.
• Observers characterize the shift as a surrender to police unions and an ideological drift toward the far-right, particularly with the 2027 presidential elections approaching.
• Both the presidential majority and the traditional right wing are seen as courting the far-right electorate by adopting securitarian policies previously deemed populist or extremist.
• Opponents, including victims' families and magistrate unions, are now preparing appeals to the Constitutional Council and international bodies like the UN.