France in Turmoil
Published Wednesday, October 28, 1:57 a.m. ET (6:57 a.m. Paris) · Source: French Senate, French government
A bill that would let the state seize welfare payments from people who join violent protests cleared the French Senate overnight, 28 October 2026. Senators, in the upper house of parliament, passed the “rioters pay” bill (casseurs-payeurs in French) by 229 votes to 105.
The vote comes amid the unrest in our France protests coverage. For background, see why France is in crisis.
Key Facts
- What happened: France’s Senate passed the “rioters pay” bill 229 to 105 overnight, far beyond its first draft.
- The numbers: People in violent crowds could owe up to €10,000 (about US$11,100) each, and benefits could be seized.
- What happens next: The National Assembly takes the bill up next, with no stable majority behind the government.
- Prediction markets: Polymarket, a crypto betting exchange, puts National Rally leader Marine Le Pen at 43.0% for 2027 (as of 1:57 a.m. ET, October 28).
This story is part of our coverage of the France protests. Why France is protesting, strike dates, curfews and the 2027 race are in our dossier.
In plain English
French lawmakers want rioters to pay for the damage they cause. The Senate went further than the government first asked, and its version still needs the lower house, the National Assembly, to agree.
Why the Bill Grew So Fast
Ministers called the text an emergency after the violence of Saturday, 17 October. It began as five articles drafted over the summer, after riots that followed the European football title of Paris Saint-Germain, the Paris club.
By morning it carried about twenty extra provisions, added by the government and by the Senate’s conservative majority.
Who Pays, and How Much
The central rule creates shared financial liability. It covers anyone who “knowingly took part” in a group formed to cause damage, and anyone who stays in a crowd likely to disturb public order after two police warnings.
The state could pursue even indirect authors of damage. The ceiling is €10,000 (about US$11,100 at the market rate of 1.112 dollars per euro) per person.
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Which Benefits Could Be Seized
Family allowances, housing aid and the RSA, France’s basic income support for people without work, could be taken to pay damages. In a second round of voting, senators hardened the plan and added the family supplement, the back-to-school allowance and the activity bonus, a top-up for low earners.
The text has drawn sharp criticism from the left, which calls it a threat to the freedom to protest.
More Powers for the Police
The Senate also voted new administrative bans on joining demonstrations (orders issued by officials, not judges), and entry bans for foreigners convicted in such cases. It also eased the use of drones in investigations and of AI-assisted video surveillance, and allowed evictions from social housing for troublemakers.
The bill also speeds up the removal of online posts that call for violence, a plan we covered in our earlier report.
What Prediction Markets Say
On Polymarket, a crypto betting exchange, a contract on the next French president gave Marine Le Pen, the National Rally leader, 43.0% at as of 1:57 a.m. ET, October 28. About US$158 million has been traded on that market, which also lists Édouard Philippe, a former prime minister, at 17.5%. The prices are bets, not polls, and none of them is a forecast of how this bill fares.
Why we show this: prediction markets turn real-money bets into a live probability that moves within minutes of the news, which is why investors, campaigns and newsrooms in the United States now follow them closely. We show them next to polls and official results, never instead of them.
What It Means for US Readers
Travellers to France should watch for protest disruption. The next test is a national strike called for Thursday, 5 November, as we reported in our strike coverage.
The entry bans would apply to foreigners convicted under the new rules. Its fate now rests with a divided National Assembly, so nothing is final.
What Is Not Known
The Assembly has not set a date to examine the text. Rules for how much of a benefit can be taken, and how much a household keeps to live on, are still to be fixed.
Courts could also rule on parts of the law, especially the idea of paying for damage you did not cause. No final adoption has been announced.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is France’s “casseurs-payeurs” bill?
It is a bill that makes people who take part in violent crowds liable for damage. The Senate passed an expanded version on 28 October 2026.
Is it law yet?
No. The National Assembly must still examine it, and the text could change before any final vote.
Sources: French Senate, French government, National Assembly, Polymarket.
Editorial responsibility: Matthias Camenzind, Editor-in-Chief · Editorial standards · Report an error
France in Turmoil
- Why France Is in Crisis, and How Macron Lost His Grip
- Why Is France Protesting? Riots, Curfews and the 2027 Race
- Is It Safe to Travel to France Right Now? Curfews, Strikes
- Who Will Win France’s 2027 Election? Polls and Odds