The Constitutional Council validates almost the entirety of the agricultural emergency law, including the controversial sections on the derogatory reintroduction of banned pesticides
This final step before the promulgation of a text supposed to respond to agricultural anger during the winter is taking place at a time when French agriculture is facing an unprecedented drought, with dramatic consequences for many plant and animal productions.
On Friday, France's Constitutional Council decided to censure Article 1 of the law prohibiting social networks for minors, deeming the ban on users under 15 years old as "disproportionate" and not "necessary and proportional" to the goal of protecting minors online. The panel of legal experts argued that the blanket ban could apply to communication services where risks to minors' health and safety remain unproven, emphasizing the imprecision surrounding the scope of the law's application.
The council also noted that the bill failed to establish sufficient legal safeguards for users' right to privacy, as verified by online platforms to prove their age. The ruling came after the Senate had attempted to impose a "blacklist" of specific platforms, avoiding the risk of constitutional censure. Catherine Morin-Desailly, the Senat rapporteur, criticized the government for not listening to the Senate's concerns and warned that the text may lose its substance.
Similar concerns were echoed by Socialist MP Arthur Delaporte, who called the presidential obstinacy a "bad advisor." The ruling has disappointed President Emmanuel Macron, who had tasked the Prime Minister with drafting a legally robust law addressing the issue, with plans to finalize the legislation by spring 2027.
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