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France moves to ban incest for the first time since 1791 after series of scandals

International
One of France's most prominent political commentators Olivier Duhamel, 70, was accused of the sexual abuse of his stepson

The French government is planning to ban incest for the first time since 1791.

Incest is currently legal in France unless children are involved, but Adrien Taquet, the secretary of state for children, said the government wanted to criminalise incestuous relationships even if both parties are over the age of 18.

In an interview with AFP, Mr Taquet said: ‘Whatever the age, you don’t have sexual relations with your father, your son or your daughter.

‘It is not a question of age, it is not a question of consenting adults. We are fighting against incest. The signals must be clear.’

He said he wanted the 18-year threshold for incest to be reviewed, saying he was in favour of a ‘clear ban’.

Adrien Taquet, the secretary of state for children, said the government wanted to criminalise incestuous relationships even if both parties are over 18

Adrien Taquet, the secretary of state for children, said the government wanted to criminalise incestuous relationships even if both parties are over 18

Emmanuel Macron's (pictured) government is planning to ban incest for the first time since 1791

Emmanuel Macron’s government is planning to ban incest for the first time since 1791

Under the changed rules, which would bring France in line with most other European countries, cousins would still be allowed to marry.

Ministers have not yet confirmed whether step families would be included in the ban.

Mr Taquet added: ‘The law is to issue clear prohibitions in society: incest is prohibited.’

The move was welcomed by Laurent Boyet, the chairman of child protection charity, Les Papillons, who said it was important that incest was ‘legally forbidden’ as much as it is already ‘socially forbidden’.

Crimes including incest, blasphemy and sodomy were removed from the statute book in 1791 – a legacy of the French Revolution removing Christian-inspired morality brought in by the old regime.

The subject of incest was somewhat of a taboo until last year when one of France’s most prominent political commentators was accused of the sexual abuse of his stepson.

Olivier Duhamel, 70, who described the ‘incest’ allegations as ‘personal attacks’ was accused in a book, written by his stepdaughter Camille Kouchner, of abusing her twin brother for two years from the age of 14.

In an interview with AFP, Mr Taquet (right) said: 'Whatever the age, you don¿t have sexual relations with your father, your son or your daughter'

In an interview with AFP, Mr Taquet (right) said: ‘Whatever the age, you don’t have sexual relations with your father, your son or your daughter’

The book ‘La Familia grande’ shocked French intellectual circles given Duhamel’s prominence and close connections to the elite.

Camille Kouchner and her twin brother are the children of France’s former foreign minister and co-founder of the Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF) medical charity Bernard Kouchner and academic Evelyne Pisier, who died in 2017.

Mr Kouchner and Pisier separated and she went on to marry Duhamel.

Camille Kouchner said she chose to write the book because she could ‘no longer be silent’.

It was not the first such controversy regarding longstanding taboos over the abuse of minors to make headlines in France and around the world.

Publisher Vanessa Springora, in a book published in January 2020, accused prize-winning writer Gabriel Matzneff of abusing her while she was a minor.

Film star Adele Haenel in November 2019 accused director Christophe Ruggia of sexually harassing her when she was in her early teens.

Haenel and other French actresses also in February last year walked out of France’s Cesar awards after filmmaker Roman Polanski – wanted in the US for the statutory rape of a 13-year-old girl in 1977 – won best director.

One of France's most prominent political commentators Olivier Duhamel, 70, was accused of the sexual abuse of his stepson

One of France’s most prominent political commentators Olivier Duhamel, 70, was accused of the sexual abuse of his stepson

Following the Duhamel scandal, the French government brought in legislation making it an offence to have a sexual relationship with a close relative who was under 18.

Mr Boyet said the law implied that ‘incest was accepted’ if they were over the age of 18.

Isabelle Aubry, the chairwoman of Face a L’inceste, which supports victims of incest said she did not understand why Mr Taquet had brought up the issue of incest now given ministers had the opportunity to outlaw it altogether last year.

She accused President Macron’s government of ‘an electoral manouevre’ 100 days away from the presidential election.

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