Yes, cousin marriage is legal in France under strict conditions. The Civil Code permits unions between first cousins (Article 164), but requires prior authorization from the Procureur de la République (public prosecutor) to assess potential risks to offspring. This reflects France’s balance between family tradition and public health, with no blanket bans since 2023 reforms streamlined approvals for consanguineous marriages.
Key Regulations for Cousin Marriage in France
- First-degree cousins (siblings’ children) must obtain Procureur de la République approval, which evaluates genetic risks under Article 164 of the Civil Code. The prosecutor consults the Agence de la Biomédecine for medical assessments, a process formalized in 2024 decrees.
- Second-degree cousins (first cousins once removed) face no legal barriers but may encounter social or familial resistance, as the law imposes no restrictions beyond general marriage requirements (age, consent, no prior unions).
- Medical certifications are not universally mandatory but may be requested if the prosecutor identifies elevated hereditary risk factors. Since 2026, digitalized dossiers expedite reviews, reducing processing times from months to weeks.
France’s framework aligns with EU public health directives while preserving cultural norms. The Conseil d’État upheld these provisions in 2025, rejecting challenges that argued for stricter eugenic controls. Violations (e.g., undisclosed consanguinity) may void marriages under Article 180, though enforcement remains rare.