French Assembly adopts leave for violence victims as RN blocks OQTF ban in intégrale law
On the last day of debate on the intégrale law against sexist and sexual violence, the National Assembly backed a new leave for employees who are victims. The RN, with its allies, also brought down a measure that would have barred OQTF deportation orders for foreign victims who filed a complaint.
Leave for victims at work
Deputies voted on Friday morning, 9 October, to create a specific leave for employees who have suffered sexual assault, sexual harassment or sexist behaviour, on the last day of debate on the intégrale law against sexist and sexual violence. The leave is meant to let victims carry out medical, judicial or administrative steps linked to the reported acts. The Assembly also extended to five days the period in which employees can provide supporting documents, such as a complaint, a main courante, a medical certificate or an attestation from a victim support association. Socialist co-rapporteur Karim Benbrahim defended the longer deadline, arguing that victims often need time to complete these steps.
Minister for equality between women and men Aurore Bergé called the measure a new and decisive step for the country, and said:
Today there is nothing, but tomorrow victims will have the right to leave.
Disputed account of the leave vote
Ouest France reports that the article was first rejected by the 77 RN and UDR deputies, against 74 votes from the other groups, and that the government then requested a new deliberation to be held on Tuesday.
- RN and UDR (against)
- 77 deputies
- Other groups (for)
- 74 deputies
Reporting procedure for employers
Deputies also adopted a mandatory procedure for reporting and handling sexist and sexual violence at work, which obliges employers to take charge of reports and respond in a way set by law. The text defines the chain of actions an employer must follow. The RN opposed the measure, and Lisette Pollet called the procedure "particularly burdensome", arguing that it suits a large group but does not account for "the size and means" of small companies. Karim Benbrahim answered that the procedure is "the basics", giving companies a clear framework and giving victims "guarantees" on how their report will be handled.
The OQTF amendment
Deputies rejected a ban on issuing an obligation to leave French territory (OQTF) against a foreign person who is a victim of sexual violence and has filed a complaint. Left-wing deputies tried to defend the measure, arguing that foreign women are among the most vulnerable because their right to stay often depends on a husband who works, and communist co-rapporteur Elsa Faucillon said it would let them go to a police station without fear of losing their residence permit. The RN objected from the start that the measure would create an "immigration channel", and Thomas Ménagé told the chamber that "the smugglers have found allies here, in the National Assembly". Kevin Pfeffer added:
What France lacks are not additional residence permits, it is OQTFs that are carried out.
Several centrist deputies also filed amendments to delete the measure, backed by Aurore Bergé, who said the government did not want the path to be diverted by men who are not victims and relied on an opinion from the Conseil d'Etat. Agnès Firmin-Le Bodo of Horizons, author of one of these amendments, rejected what she called the left's caricatures and said that the Republic already protects these women. Danielle Simonnet of the ecologist group replied "Shame on you", arguing that the Assembly was touching "the universality of the protection of women".
Reactions and what comes next
The feminist and child-protection coalition that drafted the text and mobilised for its examination protested in a statement against what it called the "retreat of parliamentarians" on workplace rights and the protection of foreign women. The Assembly's solemn vote on the intégrale law is set for Tuesday, after the government's requested new deliberation on the leave article.
