France’s far right wants to reopen brothels

Marine Le Pen’s party wants France to reopen brothels managed directly by prostitutes.

The party will soon submit a bill allowing brothels to reopen as cooperatives, Jean-Philippe Tanguy, a prominent lawmaker from the National Rally, said in a series of interviews with French media.

“Prostitutes would be empresses in their kingdom,” Tanguy told French radio station RTL.

He said he has already written a draft text which is also backed by Le Pen.

Brothels were banned in France in 1946. Under French law prostitutes can still offer their services, but a 2016 law pushed by the Socialist Party punishes clients with a €1,500 fine.

The proposal has reignited debate in France over legalizing prostitution.

A similar debate has emerged in other EU countries. In Italy, for instance, politicians from Giorgia Meloni’s governing coalition, are also in favor of reopening brothels and regulating prostitution but, for now, those proposals have not been implemented.

French daily Le Monde first reported on Tanguy’s plans.