Agency Report

France’s parliament began examining a draft law on Wednesday that would make bullying at school punishable by up to three years in jail as part of efforts to combat the scourge.

In cases that involved the victim committing suicide, or attempting to, the punishment could be up to 10 years in prison.

The proposals won support from Education Minister Jean-Michel Blanquer and are expected to be backed by a majority of lawmakers from President Emmanuel Macron’s ruling coalition and the right-wing Republicans party.

“We will never accept the lives of our children being shattered,” Blanquer said during a debate, calling the draft law “a way of enforcing the values of the republic.”

As well as increasing resources for prevention and education, the legislation would create a new crime of “school bullying” which would carry a maximum three-year jail term and a fine of up to 45,000 euros, depending on the severity of the case and the age of the culpit.