Boucard says the presumption is limited and rebuttable

Ian BoucardRapporteur for Bill 691 and member of the National Assembly

Boucard defended the proposal as a simple presumption that applies only when firearm use falls within an already strict legal framework of absolute necessity and strict proportionality, and that falls if an investigation establishes illegitimate use.

“It is a simple presumption, which means two essential things: first, that it is not a blank check, since the presumption applies only when the use of the weapon falls within an already strict legal framework, based on absolute necessity and strict proportionality in the use of force; ... second, that this presumption can be overturned, since the text explicitly provides that it falls if the investigation establishes an illegitimate use. (Translated from French. Original: Il s’agit d’une présomption simple, ce qui signifie deux choses essentielles : premièrement, qu’il ne s’agit pas d’un blanc-seing, la présomption ne jouant que lorsque l’usage de l’arme s’inscrit dans un cadre légal déjà strict, fondé sur l’absolue nécessité et la stricte proportionnalité de l’usage de la force ; ... deuxièmement, que cette présomption peut être renversée, le texte prévoyant explicitement qu’elle tombe si l’enquête établit une utilisation illégitime.)”

Original text

Read the original text (opens in a new tab)Ian Boucard presentation of Bill 691, January 22, 2026Presentation of Bill 691, Ian Boucard intervention
Two French National Police officers standing beside a Paris street.
Credit: Kevin.B

Where this statement fits

Should France presume police and gendarmes acted lawfully when using firearms?

A bill filed by French lawmaker Éric Pauget and rewritten by the government would create a rebuttable presumption that national police officers and gendarmes who use firearms acted within an authorized statutory circumstance and complied with requirements of absolute necessity and strict proportionality. The National Assembly adopted the text on July 7, 2026, and sent it to the Senate. Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez and police-union supporters say the measure would protect officers without ending judicial review; the Defender of Rights, a UN special rapporteur and human-rights groups argue that it could weaken investigations, victims’ remedies and accountability for lethal force.

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Source and context

Original text

Ian Boucard presentation of Bill 691, January 22, 2026 (opens in a new tab)Presentation of Bill 691, Ian Boucard intervention

About this source

Official verbatim National Assembly record. As rapporteur, Boucard presented the proposal as a simple, rebuttable presumption limited to firearm uses already governed by necessity and proportionality requirements.

Archived copy (opens in a new tab)

Before the quotation

Boucard was presenting the bill to the National Assembly and explaining how its proposed evidentiary presumption would operate.

After the quotation

He then said he had worked with Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez on a rewrite after committee review, which the government tabled as an amendment establishing a presumption of legitimate weapon use by internal security forces without changing the conditions for using a weapon.

How this statement is classified

Defended or excused

The label describes this statement's response within the context above.

Why this label?

As rapporteur, he directly endorsed the proposal and argued that its safeguards prevent it from becoming a blank check. That is direct support for the conduct at issue.

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Corrections to this statement

These notices document reporting corrections, classification changes, and topic-label updates.

Reporting correction

Correction to: Statement by Ian Boucard

Previous language
Il s’agit d’une présomption simple. Cela signifie deux choses essentielles. Premièrement, elle n’est pas un blanc-seing : elle ne joue que lorsque l’usage de l’arme s’inscrit dans un cadre légal déjà strict, fondé sur l’absolue nécessité et la stricte proportionnalité de l’usage de la force, et dans des hypothèses précisément énumérées.
Corrected language
Il s’agit d’une présomption simple, ce qui signifie deux choses essentielles : premièrement, qu’il ne s’agit pas d’un blanc-seing, la présomption ne jouant que lorsque l’usage de l’arme s’inscrit dans un cadre légal déjà strict, fondé sur l’absolue nécessité et la stricte proportionnalité de l’usage de la force ; ... deuxièmement, que cette présomption peut être renversée, le texte prévoyant explicitement qu’elle tombe si l’enquête établit une utilisation illégitime.

We previously quoted Ian Boucard in wording that did not match the official National Assembly record. Our quotation also included a clause about precisely enumerated cases, which does not appear in his remarks. The entry now quotes the record verbatim, and we updated the summary and context to match.

This corrects our account of what happened.

Ian Boucard presentation of Bill 691, January 22, 2026 (opens in a new tab)Presentation of Bill 691, Ian Boucard intervention

Official verbatim National Assembly record. As rapporteur, Boucard presented the proposal as a simple, rebuttable presumption limited to firearm uses already governed by necessity and proportionality requirements.

Archived copy (opens in a new tab)

More from this case

Read the full case

Nuñez rejects the claim that the firearms bill creates a license to kill

Laurent Nuñez

“What we are creating is a simple presumption, which can be overturned very quickly, as the text provides. So stop saying everywhere that we have created a license to kill! (Translated from French. Original: Ce que nous créons est une simple présomption, qui peut être renversée très rapidement, ce que le texte prévoit. Arrêtez donc de dire partout que nous aurions créé un permis de tuer !)”
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LDH says the police firearm presumption would obstruct investigations of shootings

Ligue des droits de l'Homme

“Yet establishing a presumption that shootings are lawful would amount to accepting from the outset that the use of the weapon was lawful, and therefore to slowing down, or even preventing, investigations, with the possible consequence that unjustified uses escape any sanction. As a result, victims would be deprived of any hope that the truth would come out, and all the current failings would be legitimized. (Translated from French. Original: Or l’instauration d’une présomption de légalité des tirs reviendrait à admettre d’emblée la conformité de l’usage de l’arme et donc de freiner, voire d’empêcher, la réalisation d’investigations, avec pour conséquence possible que des utilisations injustifiées échappent à toute sanction. Dès lors, les victimes seraient privées de toute espérance quant à la manifestation de la vérité et tous les dysfonctionnements actuels seraient légitimés.)”
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Boucard says the presumption is limited and rebuttable
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The Dispute Index. "Boucard says the presumption is limited and rebuttable". First published: 2026-09-22. Last updated: 2026-10-07. https://disputeindex.com/events/1380-boucard-defended-the-proposal-as-a-simple-presumption