Gabriel Attal calls for tougher action against unauthorized camps

Paris – 03/08/2026: Gabriel Attal has announced tougher action against unauthorized camps by Travellers. In an interview with Le Figaro, the former prime minister said that all ways of life must respect the laws of the Republic. He wants to include the issue in his platform for the 2027 presidential election. However, the information published so far about the interview does not indicate what additional measures he would propose.

The debate concerns the temporary use of public or private land without the consent of owners or the relevant authorities. Such cases primarily involve municipalities and prefectures, which must balance property rights, public order and the legal requirements for suitable stopping and transit areas. Attal’s initiative therefore targets an area in which state sanctions and municipal obligations are closely linked.

Parliament is already considering a related legislative initiative. On 10 February 2026, the Senate adopted a bill to combat unauthorized camps by Travellers by 235 votes to 101 and referred it to the National Assembly. The text is intended to revise the rules for accommodating travelling groups and give authorities additional means to act against unlawful occupations. As of 3 August, the legislative process had not yet been completed.

According to the Senate, France records nearly 1,300 journeys by larger groups and more than 500 unauthorized settlements each year. These administrative figures reflect individual incidents and do not permit conclusions about Travellers as a whole. The bill therefore links the proposed enforcement powers to the question of whether sufficient usable reception areas are available in the affected regions.

Authorities can already intervene under current law. The collective occupation of land without authorization has been subject to criminal law since the Internal Security Act of 18 March 2003. Under certain conditions, municipalities and intermunicipal authorities may prohibit the parking of caravans outside designated areas. In the event of violations, they may request an eviction order from the prefecture; its enforcement must comply with legal requirements and may be subject to judicial review.

With his announcement, Attal is setting an early marker for the 2027 campaign without yet presenting his own regulatory framework. Politically, he is taking up a recurring demand from local elected representatives for faster procedures. At the same time, the state remains bound by the obligation to ensure the legally required reception conditions. For now, the specific parliamentary reference point is the bill adopted by the Senate and referred to the National Assembly.