A demand for clientelism EARLIER this year the French Socialist Party displayed its social liberalism by legalising gay marriage. This week it rediscovered its illiberal streak. On December 4th, the lower house of parliament voted to make prostitution a crime for those who pay for sex, subject to a fine of €1,500 ($ 2,030) for a first offense and €3,750 thereafter. “I don’t want a society in which women have a price,” said Najat Vallaud-Belkacem, the women’s minister. She wants nothing less than to “abolish” prostitution in France.With Germany having second thoughts about its decision over a decade ago to liberalise the world’s oldest profession, the French have decided to follow Sweden, Finland and Norway in restricting prostitution. Paying for sex is not now illegal, although brothels, soliciting and pimping are. France has at least 20,000 sex workers, far fewer than the 400,000 or so thought to offer their services across the Rhine. But the nature of prostitution in France has changed radically over the past 20 years.Today about 90% of those working the streets in France are foreigners, up from 20% in 1990. Women (and some men) are…
The Economist: Europe
