Senate debates proposals to extend municipal police powers in France
The current legal framework ‘bears no resemblance to the France of 2026’, proponents say
The bill is not yet set in stone; it will go to a formal vote on February 10, and then be handed to the Assemblée Nationale
Igor Paszkiewicz/Shutterstock
Municipal police in France could get more powers and authority to issue fines, search vehicles, and confiscate weapons if the Senate is successful in pushing through a new legislative bill on the subject.
Senators this week (February 3) examined a new text that would increase police powers in the face of “daily security and safety”. The last significant legal framework for municipal police dates back to 1999, “which bears no resemblance to the France of 2026”.
There are more than 28,000 municipal police officers in France, who undertake daily tasks such as patrolling schools, roads, and deal with noise offences, and traffic. Of these, 600 work in very rural areas.
Co-rapporteur of the bill, Les Républicains senator Jacqueline Eustache-Brinio, said that change to the law was needed to protect municipal police and give them powers that meet the demands of today.
“France in 2026 is completely different in the regions,” she said. “The situation is more violent, more worrying and exposes municipal police officers to real harm, crime and drug trafficking.”
Senator Hussein Bourgi, of the Socialist party, said that “it is necessary to update the legal framework to take account of the changing role of municipal police officers”.
The bill is not yet set in stone; it will go to a formal vote on February 10, and then be handed to the Assemblée Nationale for further debate.
‘Decisive role’
Similarly, Laurent Nuñez, prefect of the Paris Police until last year, told a Senate hearing that “this bill is of paramount importance, as it will strengthen the ‘continuum’ of security that already exists between the internal security forces and municipal police officers”.
He said that municipal police officers are playing an increasingly “decisive role” in French life, as was shown during the 2024 Paris Olympic and Paralympic Games.
Police would be given “extended judicial powers”, under the wider control of municipal authorities. For example, they would have the power to act against offences such as driving without a licence, or unlawfully carrying a knife or weapon.
The Senate has also voted to allow officers to visually inspect vehicle boots and search luggage on public transport. The bill also grants them the right to use drones, under strict conditions – for example, to avoid dangerous car chases on roads.
Risk of power ‘abuses’?
In drafting the bill, senators considered the events of June 2023, when riots erupted after the death of a 17-year-old teenager, Nahel Merzouk, who was killed by a police officer in Hauts-de-Seine.
The bill has faced some criticism; senators from the Greens and Communist parties have said that they fear the text could lead to power “abuses” if police officers were granted extended authority in certain situations.
