Jean-Philippe Tanguy, MP for the Rassemblement National, at the Assemblée Nationale in Paris, November 22, 2025. JULIEN MUGUET FOR LE MONDE
Brothels, which were closed by the Marthe Richard law in 1946, could reopen if Marine Le Pen or Jordan Bardella comes to power. The far-right Rassemblement National (RN) party is actively working on the matter. "I am going to propose reopening brothels, but managed by the sex workers themselves, as cooperatives," RN MP Jean-Philippe Tanguy recently told somewhat surprised members of the Assemblée Nationale's Finance Committee. "I am preparing a bill to that effect," he told Le Monde. "A first version is ready, but it needs improvement. I have Marine [Le Pen]'s support for this initiative."
This unexpected project could reignite debate over the place of prostitution in society and the legal framework surrounding it. France has long declared its intention to abolish prostitution, a stance criticized by those who see such a goal as unrealistic and who would rather regulate the practice. In 2016, under President François Hollande, a law abolished the offense of soliciting in public. It criminalized customers, created a pathway out of prostitution with social support, and granted workers access to residence permits – measures that have been particularly criticized by the far right.
