French lawmaker pushes civil union for friends and new friendship-based leave rights

Clémence Guetté, a deputy for France Insumisa and vice-president of the National Assembly, has put forward a bill that would recognise "civil unions of friends" and allow friends to receive leave traditionally reserved for family, such as paternity or child-illness leave. The proposal seeks to extend inheritance rights, tax advantages and material solidarity obligations to these unions, and includes a provision for a "civil baptism" to give single parents a friend legal guardianship responsibilities.

Guetté also urges the allocation of social-housing stock for households built around friendships rather than couples or families. While the measure aligns with Jean-Luc Mélenchon’s broader platform, it has drawn sharp criticism from right-wing figures who claim it intrudes on private life. The initiative aims to address demographic decline and the growing importance of friendships in contemporary French society.