French politicians vote to ban smacking children as a form of discipline

France will become the 55th country to ban the practice.

Gone are the days when the wooden spoon was a frequent part in the process of disciplining a child and a recent decision by French politicians is further proof of this. Essentially, the new legislation would ban parents from smacking their children and it's now expected to go to the Senate for ratification. It should be noted that there will be no punishment for breaking the law - should it be introduced. According to the BBC, a bill on "corporal punishment or humiliation" was strongly endorsed by French politicians, who voted overwhelmingly in its favour. The bill received a favourable 51-1 vote in the National Assembly. The bill stresses that parental authority must be exercised without violence and that parents may not resort to "physical, verbal or psychological violence, nor to corporal punishment or humiliation". In France, previous attempts to ban parents from smacking their children at home have failed, although the practice has long been banned in French schools. Maud Petit, who sponsored the measure, said the bill's main goal was educational because it aims to encourage society to change its views on the issue. France, like other European states, criminalises violence against children, but it also currently allows parents the right to discipline their children at a low level. If the bill is approved by the Senate, France will become the 55th country to outlaw corporal punishment of children.