# France's protest bill sparks EU rights concerns

> France's new protest law risks eroding protest rights across Europe.
- Title: France's protest bill sparks EU rights concerns · EUobserver
- Summary: France's new protest law risks eroding protest rights across Europe. France's Senate passed a bill that could restrict protest rights, with similar…
- Keywords: france, protest rights, senate bill, amnesty international, eu countries, police orders, social housing, EUobserver
- Source: EUobserver — https://euobserver.com/248738/listen-is-the-right-to-protest-under-threat-in-europe
- Published: 2026-11-13T09:11:01+00:00
- Read time: 1 min
- Topics: france, protest rights, senate bill, amnesty international, eu countries, police orders, social housing, politics, world
## France Senate passes protest bill
The French Senate adopted a draft bill that could severely restrict protest rights, with far-right Rassemblement National support.
## Bill targets protesters and bystanders
The bill fines up to €10,000 for those present near protests after police orders, even without criminal offenses.
## Six-month prison sentence for unauthorized protests
Participants in unauthorised demonstrations face six-month prison sentences under the proposed law.
## Social housing evictions proposed
The Senate proposed evicting offenders from social housing after identifying them as protesters.
## Amnesty report finds eight countries restrict protests
Amnesty International reports eight EU countries introduced protest restrictions in 2024, including France, Belgium, Germany, Greece, Italy, Luxembourg, Spain and the UK.
## Protesters face systemic discrimination
People of colour face discrimination in seven countries, climate activists targeted in nearly all covered nations.
## Key takeaway

France's Senate passed a bill that could restrict protest rights, with similar restrictions emerging in eight EU countries.