Politics · France · 8 hrs ago
Expert backs fines for vandals but criticises France’s Casseur-payeur bill
France’s Casseur-payeur bill is due before the Senate next week.
The government’s proposal would make people at a rally pay for damage even if they did not cause it, and could reduce their benefits or those of their parents if they are under 18 and cannot pay.
Nicolas-Jean Bréhon, a former public-finance teacher, supports financial penalties but says liability should fall on the person who committed the offence.
He argues that charges should reflect the actual cost of repairs and emergency services, rather than fixed penalties unrelated to the damage.
He also proposes charging for firefighters’ interventions, which are currently free, and allowing debts to be repaid later when offenders have enough income.
Bréhon says cutting benefits would bring in too little to cover costs that may reach thousands or millions of euros.
The bill is scheduled for Senate examination next week, while Bréhon says making offenders pay is a stronger deterrent than prison.
Public-finances specialist Nicolas-Jean Bréhon supports making people who cause damage pay, but says France’s “Casseur-payeur” bill would be unworkable.
The bill proposes making people at a gathering pay for damage even if they were not directly responsible.
Bréhon says liability should fall on the person who committed the offence, not collectively on people at the gathering.
He proposes basing payments on actual repair and emergency-response costs, and allowing debts to be repaid later when offenders can afford them.
The bill is due to be examined by the Senate the following week.
- Who
- Nicolas-Jean Bréhon, a former public-finances teacher at Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne, discussed the bill.
- What
- He backed financial penalties for people who cause damage but criticised the bill’s proposed collective liability.
- When
- The article was published on 20 October 2026. The bill was due to be examined the following week.
- Where
- France; the bill was due to be examined by the Senate.
- Why
- Bréhon argued that the bill would be unworkable and that collective liability could create insoluble legal problems.
Nicolas-Jean Bréhon
French government
Bill’s approach
Nicolas-Jean Bréhon
Bréhon says collective liability for people at a gathering would be unworkable and should be removed.
French government
The bill proposes making participants pay for damage even when they were not directly responsible.
Who should pay
Nicolas-Jean Bréhon
Bréhon says responsibility should fall on the person who committed the offence.
French government
The bill proposes charging participants in a gathering for damage caused there.
Social benefits
Nicolas-Jean Bréhon
Bréhon says reducing benefits would not address costs that can reach thousands or millions of euros.
French government
The bill proposes reducing the benefits of insolvent offenders, or of their parents if they are minors.
A photograph caption describes people breaking shop windows and entering a Picard store in Paris.
franceinfo published Bréhon’s criticism of the “Casseur-payeur” bill.
The bill was due to be examined by the Senate.
- Expert
- Nicolas-Jean Bréhon
- Bill
- Casseur-payeur
- Proposed liability
- Participants in a gathering could be charged for damage even if they were not directly responsible.
- Proposed benefit cuts
- Benefits of insolvent offenders, or their parents if they are minors
- Publication date
- 20 October 2026
What people are saying
It is a simple idea on paper, but it will obviously be impossible to apply.
We must return to the responsibility of the person who committed the offence.
We must start from the cost of repairs and the cost of the intervention.
The only punishment that will be understood is paying; the vandal must pay.