French National Assembly passes sweeping child protection bill, including end to statute of limitations for sex crimes against minors and new background checks

The French National Assembly has adopted a major child protection bill that introduces multiple far-reaching measures, including making certain sex crimes against minors imprescriptible, expanding background checks to all adults in contact with children, and creating a blacklist of individuals accused of such violence. The bill, debated from July 15, also includes a contested requirement to inform families of the names of after-school activity leaders, as reported by Libération.

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Among the most striking provisions, an amendment adopted on July 16 renders rape, deadly violence, and torture against minors imprescriptible. Mediapart reported that one supporter declared: "Dire que l'impunité, c'est terminé" ("To say that impunity is over"). The change marks a historic shift in French law, which previously allowed such crimes to expire after 20 or 30 years, depending on the offense.

Le Monde detailed another key measure: background checks, already required for teachers, will now be extended to all adults who work with children. The bill also creates a centralized file where anyone implicated in sexual violence against a minor will be listed, "even if he has not been convicted," according to Le Monde. This blacklist is intended to prevent offenders from moving between jobs or regions undetected.

Télérama, however, offered a cautionary note. Reporting on the 85,000 cases reviewed by the government, the outlet quoted Interior Minister Gérald Darmanin as calling the reexamination a success. But the article undercut that claim: "Cette recension nécessaire intervient sans vraiment prendre en compte les manquements du système judiciaire dans son ensemble" ("This necessary review comes without really taking into account the failings of the judicial system as a whole"). The systemic issues persist even as the Assembly advances new legal tools.

Meanwhile, a more everyday provision stirred debate. Education Minister Edouard Geffray pushed to reintroduce the obligation for local authorities to disclose the names of after-school activity staff to parents, Libération reported. Parents have widely supported the measure, but some animators (activity leaders) have condemned it as an infringement on privacy, highlighting the tension between transparency and trust in the child protection framework.