Overview

• The French National Assembly rejected a measure requiring encrypted messaging platforms to grant access to traffickers' communications, citing privacy and cybersecurity risks.
• A rare technical failure delayed voting on March 20, with a hardware malfunction requiring manual vote counting late into the night.
• The Assembly approved the 'distinct report' provision, allowing sensitive investigative details to be withheld from defense lawyers, despite concerns over defense rights.
• Amendments to the 'distinct report' measure introduced safeguards, limiting its use to cases where lives or physical safety are at risk.
• Debates on additional contentious provisions, including algorithmic surveillance, are ongoing, highlighting political divisions and concerns over civil liberties.