France drops plea‑bargaining from criminal justice reform bill

On Tuesday the French National Assembly approved in first reading a criminal‑justice reform bill proposed by Justice Minister Gérald Darmanin, winning 357 votes against 177, with all left‑wing parties voting against it.

Following intense protests from lawyers and opposition politicians, the government removed the controversial “plea‑bargaining” (plaider‑coupable) provision that had been touted as a way to ease court backlogs. The National Rally welcomed the change, while left‑wing parties criticised the reform as merely managing shortages rather than increasing resources.

The legislation still includes the creation of 60 new departmental criminal courts, a reduction of the deadline for lawyers to file nullity requests from six to four months, and a clause permitting authorities to consult private genetic‑genealogy databases to assist in solving cold cases. The bill now moves to a mixed committee and then to a final Senate vote.