French government seeks to defuse crisis after girl's killing exposes judicial failings

Summary

A snowballing political crisis over the judiciary's handling of child sexual violence cases ⁠erupted in France after the killing of an 11-year-old girl known only as Lyhanna, who went missing in the town of Fleurance on May 29 after leaving school. Attention focused on the justice system after prosecutors said the main suspect had been ‌accused of raping a minor in an investigation opened following a complaint filed in August 2025, but was not questioned until his ⁠arrest over Lyhanna's disappearance. Tens of thousands of people gathered across France on Monday night to protest over the handling of the case, chanting "protect our children".