France’s lower house of parliament has passed a landmark bill redefining rape as any sexual act carried out without consent, marking a major shift toward consent-based legislation. The measure, approved on Thursday, now heads to the Senate for final adoption next week.
The development follows the harrowing case of Frenchwoman Gisele Pelicot, who was drugged by her then-husband and repeatedly assaulted by men he invited into their home. The case reignited a national debate about the role of consent in sexual violence laws.
“This legislation sends a strong message — we are collectively transitioning from a culture of rape to a culture of consent,” said centrist lawmaker Veronique Riotton, one of the bill’s sponsors.
Members of France’s National Assembly voted 155 to 31 in favor of the bill, with opposition largely coming from far-right lawmakers.
The new definition of rape describes it as any “non-consensual act,” aligning France with other European nations such as Germany, the Netherlands, Spain, and Sweden that have adopted consent-based legal frameworks.
According to the bill, consent must be “free and informed, specific, prior, and revocable.” It emphasizes that silence or inaction cannot be interpreted as consent and reaffirms that no consent exists when a sexual act occurs through “violence, coercion, threat, or surprise.”
Far-right opponents criticized the reform, arguing that it introduces a “subjective and uncertain” standard. National Rally lawmaker Sophie Blanc warned that lawyers would now have to analyze “the gestures, words, and silence” of alleged victims rather than focusing solely on the perpetrator’s actions.
Supporters, however, say the bill rightly shifts accountability to offenders to prove that consent was given. “When it’s not no, it doesn’t mean yes,” said Green Party lawmaker Marie-Charlotte Garin, who co-sponsored the proposal. “When it’s yes, it must be a real yes — giving in will never again be considered consent.”
The Senate is scheduled to vote on the bill’s final adoption on Wednesday, where it is widely expected to pass.
