The S.U.R.E. bill: A far-reaching reform of the French criminal justice system

On 18 March 2026, the French government introduced the S.U.R.E. Bill — Sanction Utile, Rapide et Effective (Useful, Swift and Effective Sentencing) — currently under discussion before the Senate. The text seeks to address two distinct but related issues: the severe backlog affecting criminal courts, and the erosion of public confidence in the effective enforcement of criminal sentences.... By: Hogan Lovells