The Lyhanna Case and the Question of State Failure

The death of eleven-year-old Lyhanna shakes France. What initially appeared as a tragic criminal case is increasingly developing into a debate about the functionality of state institutions. At the center is not just the act itself but the realization that the suspected perpetrator was already known to the authorities. Previous reports, ongoing proceedings, and apparently unprocessed tips raise a question that goes far beyond the specific case: Has the state…