France - May 2024

On 28 May, the Constitutional Council ruled that undocumented immigrants have the right to access legal aid on the same terms as French citizens, citing the constitutional principle of equality before the law. As a result, undocumented immigrants are now eligible to receive state support to pay for a lawyer, including at the National Court of Asylum. Previously, only French citizens and foreign nationals legally residing in France were eligible (the latter group since 1991), with some exceptions for undocumented minors and defendants in criminal proceedings. 

Sources: Constitutional Council, InfoMigrants, Service Public, FranceInfo