Overview

• A transpartisan bill requiring Regional Health Agency (ARS) approval for doctor placements has passed its initial vote in the National Assembly, with further debate scheduled for May.
• The law aims to address healthcare inequality by automatically authorizing doctors to practice in underserved areas while limiting new installations in well-served regions.
• Medical unions, students, and interns unanimously oppose the bill, citing concerns over professional autonomy and the attractiveness of liberal medicine.
• Major physician organizations have called for an indefinite national strike beginning April 28, with nationwide demonstrations planned for April 29 to demand the bill's withdrawal.
• Some unions, including the Fédération des médecins de France (FMF), have urged members to close their practices as part of the protest, warning of long-term impacts on healthcare access.