Pierre Coppey proposed as France's new prison controller

President Emmanuel Macron has proposed Pierre Coppey, the former president of Vinci Autoroutes and leader of a reintegration association, to serve as the General Controller of Places of Deprivation of Liberty (CGLPL). The appointment requires validation from the Senate and Assembly law commissions before Coppey begins a non-renewable six-year term.

Coppey succeeds Dominique Simonnot, who recently described the French prison system as a “catastrophe” characterized by endemic overcrowding, dilapidated infrastructure, and chronic staff shortages. France currently faces significant scrutiny regarding its prison density, which ranks among the highest in Europe. As of September 1, French prisons held 90,020 detainees in facilities with only 63,348 places, setting a new record for overcrowding.