French government response to school blockades

Following weeks of student-led high school blockades in France, the government has moved to address widespread property damage, including vandalism to public transit and school infrastructure. Interior Minister Gérald Darmanin directed prosecutors to pursue the civil liability of parents for damages caused by minors, noting that approximately 2,000 people have been detained, 90% of whom are minors.

Legal experts note that under the French Civil Code, parental liability for a minor’s actions is an established principle where the obligation to compensate arises automatically once the minor’s role is established. Recent legislative clarifications have also ensured liability can be engaged even if parents do not reside with the child, provided they retain parental authority.

In response to the violence, the French government is accelerating the examination of the ‘casseur-payeur’ (vandal-pays) law, which is now scheduled for Senate examination on October 27, 2026. The legislation seeks to ensure that perpetrators of collective violence and destruction are held financially responsible for repairs, preventing public funds from covering these costs. The bill introduces a regime of joint and several civil liability, allowing authorities to hold participants accountable for damages even if they did not personally commit the acts, provided they knowingly participated in a group that refused to disperse after police orders.

Individual financial liability under this plan is capped at 10,000 euros. To ensure recovery, the government is considering direct deductions from social benefits, such as housing subsidies and family allowances. While government spokespeople argue the measure prevents taxpayers from bearing the costs of minority violence, critics have denounced the plan as a ‘presumption of guilt’ that could unfairly target demonstrators and suppress the right to protest.