The deputies emphasize that this bill was developed to eliminate misunderstandings related to the "duty" of spouses to maintain sexual relations. According to one of the authors, Deputy Marie-Charlotte Garin, "marriage should not be a place where consent to intimacy is perceived as lifelong." The initiative is planned to be approved before the summer season.
Although the French Civil Code does not explicitly mention the necessity of maintaining sexual relations, it states that "spouses must jointly lead a family life." Sarah Legrin, a deputy from the "Unsubmissive France" party and the initiator of the bill, believes that vague wording can lead to interpretations implying a "duty to share a bed." She also noted that the bill aims to prevent unreasonable interpretations of the Civil Code in divorce cases.
It is worth noting that in 2019, the Versailles Court of Appeal ruled in favor of a husband who filed for divorce, citing his wife's refusal to engage in sexual relations. Legrin also added that the initiative is aimed at combating marital rape.
