The French government will submit a bill to the Senate that will impose collective liability on rioters, French government spokesperson Maud Bregeon announced.

“This bill will be submitted to the Senate on October 27 and will have two objectives. First, if necessary, to charge money from family benefits for the damage caused by adults or minors, so we will use part of the benefits provided to parents. Second, if someone participates in the actions of a violent group and continues to participate after being warned by the police, the principle of collective liability will apply to them,” Bregeon said.

She did not specify how quickly this law will be passed, emphasizing that only the first reading will take place in the Senate. Bregeon noted that the government expects the bill to be passed soon, but the schedule of respective debates may be affected by the consideration of the 2027 budget.

This bill provides for the possibility of charging compensation of up to 10 thousand euros for the damage caused, reports Franceinfo radio. In the case of minors, part of these financial obligations can be replaced by unpaid public work. In case of failure to pay the set compensation, the state can seize family and housing benefits to repay the debt.

The protests of high school students in France had begun late September in the capital Paris and have spread across the country. The demonstrators are protesting against a demanding class schedule, teacher shortages, and other problems in the country’s education sector. In some places, these demonstrations have escalated into riots and clashes with police.