“Liberty, Equality, Fraternity”: The French Constitutional Court confirms the constitutional status and force of the principle of fraternity

Dadomo, Christian

Abstract

In its Decision n° 2018-717/718 QPC of 06 juillet 2018 - M. Cédric H. et autre [Délit d'aide à l'entrée, à la circulation ou au séjour irréguliers d'un étranger (Criminal offence of providing assistance to a foreigner entering, moving and residing illegally in France)], the Constitutional Court ruled that articles L. 622-1 et L. 622-4 of the Code on the Entry and Residence of Foreign Nationals and on the Right to asylum (CESEDA) as amended by the Act n° 2012-1560 of 31 December 2012 on Detention of Foreign Nationals for the purpose of verifying residence permits and Amending the Offence to Provide Assistance to Illegal Residents with the view to exempting Humanitarian and Disinterested Actions (relative à la retenue pour vérification du droit au séjour et modifiant le délit d'aide au séjour irrégulier pour en exclure les actions humanitaires et désintéressées) were in breach of the constitutional principle of fraternity. These offences are commonly referred to by the media and associations as “délit de solidarité” (solidarity offence; see Serge Slama, ‘Délit de solidarité: actualité d’un délit d’une autre époque’ LexBase Hebdo, 20 April 2017) or “délit d’hospitalité” (hospitality offence; see Jacques Derida, ‘Quand j’ai entendu l’expression "délit d’hospitalité"…’ (1997) 3 Plein droit, republished in Le Monde of 19 January 2018).

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Online Publication Date: Sep 21, 2018
• Deposit Date: May 21, 2019
• Publicly Available Date: May 21, 2019
• Peer Reviewed: Not Peer Reviewed
• Keywords: French constitutional law, principle of fraternity, solidarity
• Public URL: https://uwe-repository.worktribe.com/output/860369
• Publisher URL: https://eulawpol57.wordpress.com/2018/09/21/liberty-equality-fraternity-the-french-constitutional-court-confirms-the-constitutional-status-and-force-of-the-principle-of-fraternity/
• Contract Date: May 21, 2019