France has clarified in law that marriage does not obligate sexual relations, aiming to strengthen consent and deter marital abuse.
France has approved a law ending the so-called “conjugal rights,” clarifying that marriage does not create an obligation for sexual relations. The National Assembly added a clause to the civil code stating that “community of living” does not impose sexual duties, preventing refusal of sex from being used in fault-based divorces.
“By allowing such a right or duty to persist, we are collectively giving our approval to a system of domination and predation by husband on wife,” said Green MP Marie-Charlotte Garin. Campaigners hope the law will help challenge societal assumptions around marital consent and reinforce protections against marital rape, already criminalized under French law.