All articles tagged with #constitutional council
France's Constitutional Council struck down the government's plan to bar under-15s from social media, saying the measure infringes freedom of expression and lacks sufficient safeguards such as age-verification; Macron will push a revised draft aimed for early 2027 after addressing the council's concerns.
France's Constitutional Council blocked a Macron-backed law that would have barred under-15s from opening social-media accounts and forced platforms to close existing ones within four months, ruling that age-verification rules were vague and the provisions infringed privacy and freedom of expression. The ruling stalls the reform, with Macron seeking a revised bill ahead of France's 2027 election.
France’s Constitutional Council blocked a plan to ban under-15s from social media, ruling the blanket restriction infringes minors’ freedom of expression and prompting a revised bill with greater parental flexibility and a new target date in spring 2027.
France's Constitutional Council upheld a law legalising medical aid in dying under strict conditions (including consent and conscience clauses for providers) and struck down a separate bill to ban under-15s from using social media due to insufficient safeguards, delivering a mixed verdict for Macron on two flagship policies.
France’s National Assembly approved a bill legalizing assisted dying for adults with a serious, incurable illness and unbearable suffering, under tight safeguards. The patient must freely express intent to a doctor, with a two‑day reflection period, and then self-administer within 15 days (or have a doctor/nurse administer if unable). The measure now goes to the Constitutional Council for review before becoming law. The proposal has long polarized politics and faced opposition from the Catholic Church and parts of the medical field, but polls show broad public support; the government will scrutinize provisions on the reflection period, consent for those under protection, and the role of care facilities in providing services.
Senegal's Constitutional Council has confirmed opposition candidate Bassirou Diomaye Faye's victory in the presidential election, paving the way for his inauguration as the country's fifth president on April 2. Faye, an anti-establishment candidate and ally of popular opposition figure Ousmane Sonko, won more than 54 percent of the votes, while his closest competitor, ruling coalition candidate Amadou Ba, took about 35 percent. Faye's win reflects a protest against the outgoing leadership and divisions within the governing coalition, and he has promised change for the people of Senegal.
Thousands of opposition supporters in Senegal's capital, Dakar, have marched demanding swift presidential elections after the country's top court blocked President Macky Sall's attempt to postpone the election, triggering a political crisis. The court ruled that Sall could not stay in power beyond the end of his term on 2 April. Tensions have eased since the court intervened, and the authorities approved the march, which is the first rally allowed since Sall's announcement. The disputes leading to the postponement, including allegations of corruption and objections from excluded opposition figures, remain unresolved.
Senegal's Constitutional Council overturned the postponement of the presidential election, which had caused widespread protests and deadly clashes. The delay, initially set for December, was announced by President Macky Sall, but the National Assembly's move to reschedule the vote was deemed unconstitutional. Critics accuse Sall of clinging to power, despite his vow not to exceed two terms, while protests continue and internet access is restricted.
Senegal's Constitutional Council overturned President Macky Sall's postponement of the presidential election scheduled for February 25 and its rescheduling for December, ruling the moves unconstitutional. The National Assembly's decision to reschedule the vote for December 14 was also deemed contrary to the constitution. The postponement had sparked protests and international condemnation, leading to the release of several government opponents from prison. Opposition and civil society groups have called for further demonstrations, while the fate of detained opposition figureheads remains uncertain.
Senegalese President Macky Sall has indefinitely postponed the presidential election scheduled for February 25, just hours before official campaigning was due to start, citing the need to investigate two Constitutional Council judges. A minister in the Senegal government resigned in response to the postponement, and the US State Department has urged Senegal to swiftly set a new date for the election.
France's Constitutional Council has struck down some of the most extreme measures in President Emmanuel Macron's immigration law, which had been supported by the far-right Rassemblement National. The decision blocks several draconian measures, but the law will still be promulgated in a truncated form. The ruling has sparked debate over parliamentary sovereignty and judicial oversight, with the French right pushing for changes to the constitution to limit judicial interference. Macron's handling of the immigration law has drawn criticism and handed a symbolic victory to the far right.
The Macron administration has officially published a new immigration law in France, despite the Constitutional Council striking down 35 of its 86 articles, including contentious measures pushed by the right. The law aims to simplify procedures for expelling delinquent foreigners and includes provisions for regularizing undocumented workers in industries facing shortages. The decision has sparked condemnation from the right, with calls for a referendum on immigration, while the head of the far-left party has called for the law to be withdrawn. Interior Minister Darmanin has indicated that the administration will not present further legislation on the subject.
France is set to push through a controversial immigration law despite many measures being invalidated by the Constitutional Council, representing a hardening of immigration rules. The law allows for the deportation of foreigners with criminal convictions, including long-term residents, and includes measures to prevent placing under-18s in detention centers. Asylum applications increased, and with European Parliament elections approaching, President Macron faces challenges from the far right and relies on outside parties to pass legislation. The right-wing and far-right parties criticized the ruling, and there are calls for a second immigration bill, although the interior minister has no intention of doing so.
France's Constitutional Council has rejected more than a third of articles in a controversial immigration bill, including measures toughening access to social benefits, family reunification, and immigration quotas. The bill, initially presented by President Emmanuel Macron's government, faced criticism for contentious additions made under pressure from the political right and far right. The ruling was welcomed by Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin but slammed by the far-right National Rally party, which called for a referendum on immigration as the "only solution." The United Nations special rapporteur on racism also criticized the bill, saying it violates France's constitutional commitment to equality and liberty.
France's constitutional council has annulled about half of the articles in the country's new immigration law, including restrictions on family reunifications and student residency permits, deeming them unconstitutional. The council upheld much of the bill initially presented by President Emmanuel Macron's government but censured contentious additions made under pressure from the right and far right. The ruling has sparked mixed reactions, with the interior minister hailing it as approval of the government's text, while the far-right National Rally party president called it a "coup by the judges" and called for a referendum on immigration.