French Government Acts on Child Abuse Case After Nationwide Protests

Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu convened a select group of ministers (interior, justice, health, education and equality) at Matignon on Tuesday to consider new measures following the death of 11‑year‑old Lyhanna in Gers. The meeting addressed tougher penalties for serial rape, changes to prescription rules, victim‑information throughout proceedings and the requirement to justify decisions to drop sexual‑crime cases.

The government plans to incorporate these measures into a child‑protection bill already presented to the cabinet ten days earlier and slated for parliamentary review in July. Ministers promised to preserve budget allocations for combating gender‑based violence in the 2027 budget.

Protests erupted on Monday night across France, with roughly 1,700 participants near the Paris courthouse on Île de la Cité and 1,200 at Place Vendôme, plus demonstrations in over 160 cities. Feminist and child‑protection groups, including NousToutes and the Fondation des femmes, gathered outside courts, demanding that authorities prioritize investigations of child sexual abuse. Prosecutor‑general officials were urged to re‑examine around 70,000 pending child‑related complaints before 14 July.