On Wednesday, deputies rejected in the law committee the criminal justice bill defended by Gérald Darmanin. The text was refused by 18 votes to 16, with the entire left voting against and the National Rally abstaining. This setback comes as the Minister of Justice faces strong opposition following the death of little Lyhanna, with repeated calls for his resignation.
The Criminal Plea Bargaining Under Fire
The bill crystallizes criticism around the criminal plea bargaining system, strongly contested by lawyers and magistrates. This mechanism, inspired by existing procedures for misdemeanors, would allow persons accused of crimes to admit guilt in exchange for a negotiated sentence, without going through a trial at the assize court. Legal professionals see this as an infringement on the principle of solemn judgment before an assize court.
This parliamentary rebuff further weakens the minister’s position, forced to simultaneously manage the controversy over the Lyhanna case and the growing opposition to his judicial reform. The committee rejection does not mean the definitive abandonment of the text, which could still be examined in plenary session, but it reflects the political isolation of the Minister of Justice facing a united opposition front.
