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Justice Minister calls for radical reform: New criminal code in sight!
On June 30, 2025, Justice Minister Darmanin announced far-reaching reforms to France's criminal code to rationalize punishments.
Justice Minister calls for radical reform: New criminal code in sight!
On Monday, June 30, 2025, Gérald Darmanin, the Minister of Justice, announced on RTL that France is planning fundamental changes to the criminal code in the coming months. This is being done as part of a comprehensive effort to revise existing rules and streamline criminal procedures. According to RTL, the new regulations will be debated in parliament from September.
Darmanin explained that a central goal of the reforms is the abolition of suspended sentences, also known as *sursis*. This would mean that if a person is sentenced to up to one month in prison, the prison sentence must actually be served. In addition, the mandatory deferral of sentence for convictions of less than one year in prison should be abolished. These measures aim to reduce the current number of 235 different penalties and draw comparison to Germany, where there are only four penalties.
A new scale of punishment
By introducing a new scale of punishment, which will be limited to 3 to 5 punishments, the minister wants to create a simpler and clearer system. This reform is supported not only by Darmanin, but also by the French Prime Minister.
The sweeping changes are not new; they follow the legislation of March 23, 2019, which also aimed to reform the penal system in France. So, at that time, under the leadership of Audrey Farrugia, a senior official in the Ministry of Justice, the principle was established that prison sentences should not be the only reference for punishment. At the same time, attempts were made to make the punishments more understandable for those convicted and victims, as Justice.gouv.fr reports.
Alternative punishments and reintegration options
The new penalties also include the introduction of house arrest under electronic monitoring, for periods ranging from 15 days to 6 months. In addition, community service should be encouraged as a punishment and the conditions for such measures should be diversified. A clear distinction between prison sentences of 1 to 6 months and those of more than a year should enable judges to respond more flexibly to the circumstances of individual cases and to improve the convicts' chances of reintegration.
An important aspect of the reform is also the abolition of the *contrainte pénale*, which has not had the desired success since its introduction in 2014. Instead, judges will be given more leeway to take measures that promote social support for convicts. The aim is to reduce the recidivism rate by increasing the opportunities for rehabilitation.
Overall, it can be said that France is facing a clear change of course in criminal law, which could influence not only the judiciary, but also society as a whole. It remains to be seen whether this change will succeed and actually bring about a positive change.
Approaching the reform strategically is crucial, especially given the challenges France faces. The measures announced by Darmanin promise both a clarification of the justice system and improved conditions for the rehabilitation of criminals. A bold step that could reinvigorate the discussion about the role of punishment and rehabilitation in modern society.