France’s Minister of Justice, Gérald Darmanin, acknowledged shortcomings in the state’s response to domestic violence and announced a forthcoming “change of method” during a hearing before the Senate’s delegation for women’s rights on Thursday, February 19th.
Darmanin stated, “We are not yet where the great public service should be in listening to victims,” according to reports. The acknowledgement followed the publication of a report concerning the 2025 feminicide of Inès Mecellem in Poitiers, where she was killed by her former partner despite having filed multiple complaints. The report, conducted by the General Inspection of Justice, identified “an accumulation of failures” within state services.
The minister attributed these failures to a “juxtaposition of skills without articulation, a stacking of instruments without a conductor,” and “a criminal chain whose coherence is largely lacking,” resulting in victims “sometimes paying with their lives.” Darmanin also noted that 70 percent of complaints are dismissed without further action and that judicial proceedings can capture up to six years.
To address these issues, Darmanin outlined plans for a “change of method” aimed at “clarifying the decision-making chain, standardizing it across the national territory, and equipping magistrates with extremely concrete tools.” These measures include the creation of a national hotline for emergency calls, standardization of rehabilitation programs for perpetrators of sexual and gender-based violence, and the piloting of joint (civil and criminal) hearings.
A comprehensive code on domestic violence, consolidating “all current texts,” will be published by June 2026 to provide magistrates with a unified framework. A “Directorate for Victims and Users” will be established within the Ministry of Justice, intended to serve as a “center of expertise and statistics.” A “justiciable portal” is also planned for launch by the conclude of 2026, allowing victims to track the status of their complaints, understand dismissal reasons, and explore avenues for appeal.
