Far-Left LFI on Child Rapists: The Mask Is Off 

In a recent vote in the National Assembly, MPs from La France Insoumise laid bare their views on justice, the protection of the most vulnerable and their hierarchy of priorities. By proposing to remove the possibility of imposing a life sentence on perpetrators of serial rape of children under the age of 15, the far-left MPs sent shockwaves far beyond the National Assembly.

The debate took place against a particularly sensitive backdrop. The Lyhanna case, which has deeply shocked the French public, has highlighted the failings in child protection and the prevalence of child sexual abuse in the country. For months, revelations concerning Parisian after-school staff suspected of sexually assaulting children have fuelled families’ anxiety. In such a climate, seeing a section of the national parliament seeking to remove the maximum sentence for the most serious crimes against children could only provoke bewilderment.

LFI, however, stands by this position. In the explanatory memorandum to its amendment, the group condemns “penal populism” and argues that the problem lies not in the severity of sentences but in the low number of convictions. The LFI MPs point out that only 3% of perpetrators of sexual violence against minors are reportedly convicted and argue for more resources to be allocated to the justice system rather than tougher penalties. This is a classic left-wing argument, focusing on resources and prevention, and rejecting any reassessment of the sentencing scale.

The argument may well be worth hearing: the effectiveness of the criminal justice response also depends on the ability to identify, prosecute and convict perpetrators. But was it necessary, in order to defend this idea, to oppose the possibility of imposing life imprisonment on criminals who have repeatedly raped children? That is a hardly defendable political choice. 

The unease runs all the deeper given that the tabling of these amendments in parliament was accompanied by remarks outside of it, which, stripped of the media’s self-serving spin, appear for what they are: unacceptable. Take, for example, the comments made by Éric Coquerel on the programme French Carcan: “Someone who rapes one or more babies is not necessarily beyond redemption,” he explained coldly on the television set. Even when framed within a discussion of the theoretical possibility of rehabilitation, such a statement deeply offends public opinion, which is already shaken by the rise in cases of sexual violence against minors. It fuels the perception that empathy is directed more towards the perpetrators than towards the victims. Mathilde Panot, leader of the LFI MPs in the National Assembly, also stood by her party’s position: “We will continue to vote against life imprisonment” for paedophiles, she told the press, on the grounds that “life imprisonment does not protect children from sexual violence.”

Such statements inevitably remind one of a case that is embarrassing for Jean-Luc Mélenchon’s movement: that of Pierre-Alain Cottineau, a former activist and candidate supported by LFI, who is now under investigation, notably for rape involving acts of torture and barbarity against minors, as well as for human trafficking. The man exploited his position as a social worker and his accreditation to take children—some of whom were severely disabled—into his home, where he tortured and raped them before handing them over to a paedophile network.

Taken together, these incidents form a disastrous political sequence. At a time when the French public is discovering new paedophile scandals almost every week, the message being sent appears deeply counter-intuitive.

The vote on the amendment also highlighted an ideological divide over criminal justice philosophy. For LFI, harsher sentences would serve a largely symbolic purpose, with no proven effectiveness in preventing reoffending. LFI MPs prefer to emphasise prevention policies, strengthening investigations and supporting victims. However, given the deterioration in the security situation in France, this is no longer the time for prevention or political messaging. Life imprisonment aims to provide long-term protection for society against the most dangerous criminals, particularly when they have victimised multiple people. Perpetrators of serial rape against very young children fall precisely into this category.

The disconnect between public sentiment and the position defended by LFI appears all the more striking given that child protection is now the subject of a consensus rarely seen on other issues. Society is calling for more effective investigations, swifter justice, but also exemplary punishments.

Mired in its ideological obsessions, the party—despite being tipped as the favourite on the left for the 2027 presidential election—gives the impression of losing sight of what really matters: the absolute necessity of protecting children and clearly affirming that the most heinous crimes call for the most severe penalties.