Former Interior Minister and presidential hopeful Bruno Retailleau has called for mandatory chemical castration for the most dangerous sex offenders following the murder of 11-year-old Lyhanna, a case which renewed criticism of the country’s criminal justice system.
Speaking yesterday during a televised debate featuring several presidential candidates and party leaders, Retailleau argued that France must adopt stronger measures to protect children from repeat offenders.
“Given the difficulties surrounding mandatory prison sentences, we must consider other solutions,” Retailleau said.
“That is why I am proposing mandatory chemical castration for the most dangerous individuals, those who present the highest risk of reoffending.”
“We cannot leave our children vulnerable to these criminals,” he added.
Under current French law, chemical castration can only be ordered by a judge and requires the consent of the offender.
The Conservative politician also called for expanded access to France’s sex offender registry. Under his proposal, any employer seeking to hire an individual for a position involving contact with children would be required to consult the registry before making a hiring decision.
“If an alert is raised, that person must not be hired,” Retailleau said, arguing that child protection must take precedence over bureaucratic obstacles.
There is deep political divisions over how best to address sexual violence and repeat offending in France.
Speaking on the same TV programme, Green Party leader and 2027 presidential candidate Marine Tondelier questioned the effectiveness of chemical castration and argued that broader mental health issues must also be addressed.
“There is a widespread mental health problem in the country, in many different forms, and we do not know how to deal with it,” Tondelier said.
The murder of Lyhanna has intensified scrutiny of France’s justice system, with many questioning whether authorities could have intervened sooner.
Reports that the suspect was already known to law enforcement have fuelled public anger and renewed concerns about the state’s ability to prevent repeat offenders from committing further crimes.
