Victorin Lurel, a former Overseas Minister, emphasized the need for a 'reasonable compromise' to advance the fight for victims' rights, despite concerns over the proposal's scope.

While the law commits the state to work on a new compensation system for non-professional victims of chlordécone exposure, it notably lacks a dedicated compensation fund.

Despite the passage of the law, some lawmakers expressed disappointment over its limited scope and the absence of financial or operational substance, particularly regarding victim compensation.

Critics have pointed out the exclusion of 'moral anxiety damage' from the state's responsibilities, which had previously been recognized by a court ruling, allowing for compensation claims.

Minister of Overseas Territories Manuel Valls noted that the legal distinction between moral damages for illnesses and anxiety damages complicates the issue of compensation.

Frédéric Buval, a senator from Martinique, criticized the new law as lacking substance and operational capacity, describing it as a symbolic renunciation.

On June 12, 2025, the French Senate nearly unanimously passed a law recognizing the state's partial responsibility in the chlordécone pesticide scandal affecting the Caribbean islands.

This acknowledgment comes after years of demands from Antilleans for recognition of health damages linked to chlordécone, a pesticide that contaminated their environment until 1993.

Chlordécone was used in banana plantations in Guadeloupe and Martinique until 1993, despite warnings from the World Health Organization about its dangers, and continues to contaminate soils and waters.

According to the National Agency for Health Security, over 90% of adults in Guadeloupe and Martinique are affected by chlordécone, which is likely linked to an increased risk of prostate cancer.

The law acknowledges the French state's responsibility for the health, moral, ecological, and economic harms caused by chlordécone, which has impacted a significant portion of the adult population in the affected regions.

The compromise reached in the Senate follows previous failed initiatives on this sensitive issue, highlighting ongoing tensions between different political factions regarding the legislation.