• France's Senate passed a bill defining rape as any non-consensual sexual act, marking a significant legal shift.
• The reform was influenced by the traumatic Gisèle Pelicot case, wherein 51 men were convicted of rape.
• Consent is now defined as "freely given, informed, specific, prior and revocable" in the legal context.

On October 29, 2025, France's lawmakers adopted a significant reform to its rape law, which now classifies any non-consensual sexual act as rape, thereby aligning with similar legislation in other European countries. The final vote in the Senate was overwhelmingly supportive, with 327 votes in favor and 15 abstentions, reflecting a broad political consensus surrounding this change. Centrist lawmaker Véronique Riotton remarked this reform signifies a move "from a culture of rape to a culture of consent," emphasizing the importance of such legislative progress. The revised law requires that consent be "free and informed," as outlined by lawmakers Marie-Charlotte Garin and Véronique Riotton, who championed the bill in parliament, according to Le Monde, SCMP, Los Angeles Times, and BBC.

This legislative change follows the highly publicized case of Gisèle Pelicot, whose experience of being drugged and raped by multiple men highlighted serious flaws in the previous legal definitions of consent. Previously, the law required proof of violence or coercion for conviction, creating a significant gray area for prosecutors. The Pelicot case revealed these shortcomings when the defense strategies hinged on misconceptions around consent. The new law clarifies that consent must not be assumed from silence or lack of resistance, thus addressing criticisms that victims could be unfairly scrutinized, according to SCMP and Los Angeles Times.

Supporters of the reform, including advocacy groups like Amnesty International, have acknowledged this legislative move as a historic step towards securing greater protections for victims of sexual violence. Nevertheless, they also highlighted that this change must be complemented by broader societal reforms, including enhanced education and support systems for victims. Lola Schulmann of Amnesty International France stated, "This is a historic step forward... but there is still a long way to go to end impunity for gender-based and sexual violence," as emphasized in the ongoing discussions about legislative and societal action, according to Le Monde and BBC.