The french Constitution protects freedom of expression, but not to the same extent as the First Amendment does under U.S. law.   Any citizen may therefore speak, write and publish freely, except what is tantamount to the abuse of this liberty in the cases determined by Law.

In other words, the French Constitution recognizes freedom of speech, but also explicitly allows legislation that would limit it. France is also bound by the European Convention on Human Rights, article 10 of which also protects freedom of speech while acknowledging the State’s right to limit this freedom in certain circumstances. Finally, no discussion of freedom of speech in France would be complete without at least a mention of the Law of July 29, 1881, on Freedom of the Press , which is considered one of France’s foundational laws in matters of freedom of speech. This Law of 1881 enshrines freedom of the press, while also setting limits to what can legally be published.

In these recent years, France has steadily declined in terms of free press and free speech, a truth that stems from the country’s mixed record of expanding government control on the media, due largely to the conservative characteristics of its executive branch and of the country’s attempt to strive for a healthy existence of democratic principles in French society.