France opposes EU attempt to define rape as lack of consent

On November 14th, EU state members and the European Parliament gathered to discuss the directive on combating violence against women. French President Macron opposed the European Union’s definition of rape, claiming that the issue of rape is beyond the competence of the EU.

On December 13th, although a majority of EU parliamentarians supported it, European co-legislators were unable to reach a consensus on the directive addressing violence against women. The directive aimed to classify rape as a criminal offense and establish its definition based on non-consent. The disagreement stemmed from opposition by France, Germany, Hungary, and Poland.

Source: 20 minutes, L’Opinion