French MPs Reject Compulsory Flu Vaccination for Nursing Home Residents & Healthcare Workers
A proposal to mandate flu vaccinations for residents of French nursing homes and certain healthcare professionals has been rejected by the National Assembly. The article,included in the draft 2026 Social security budget,failed to pass on Saturday by a vote of 108 to 95.
The proposed legislation would have required influenza vaccination for nursing home residents “during the epidemic period,” contingent upon a advice from the High Health Authority (HAS).A similar obligation, also dependent on HAS guidance, was envisioned for healthcare professionals practicing independently, as defined by a forthcoming Council of State decree outlining conditions of practice and exposure to contamination risks, particularly concerning patient care.
Health Minister Stéphanie Rist (Renaissance) expressed disappointment with the outcome, noting the existing mandatory vaccination requirements for caregivers against diseases like diphtheria, tetanus, polio, and hepatitis B. She highlighted the current disparity in vaccination rates, stating that while 82% of nursing home patients are vaccinated against the flu, only 25% of caregivers are. Rist lamented the rejection as a setback for “science to return to the heart of our society.”
Support for the measure largely fell along party lines, with deputies from Renaissance, MoDem, Horizons, the Socialist Party (PS), and the Ecologists voting in favor.Environmental group deputy Hendrik Davi emphasized the flu vaccine as “one of the most effective public health tools.”
However, opposition was strong. The RN-UDR alliance voted against the proposal, with Christophe Bentz (RN) asserting that “vaccination freedom…is a essential principle,” advocating for persuasion over compulsion. The Republicans were split on the issue, with four voting in favor and three against.
A meaningful majority of deputies from la France Insoumise (LFI) also opposed the measure. While acknowledging the existing 82% vaccination rate among nursing home residents as positive, Hadrien Clouet (LFI) raised concerns about the consequences for residents who refuse vaccination, questioning whether they could face eviction from their facilities.
Minister Rist clarified that decisions regarding residents who decline vaccination would be made in consultation with facility directors and patient committees, emphasizing a desire to avoid excluding individuals from nursing homes.
