The French National Bar Council (Conseil National des Barreaux – CNB) has adopted a resolution backing the Bar Association of Sri Lanka (BASL) over concerns surrounding the Government’s proposal to raise the retirement age of judges.

The resolution was adopted at the CNB’s Annual General Meeting held in Paris on 3 July 2026, following discussions between the CNB’s Committee on European and International Affairs and a delegation from the BASL.

In its resolution, the CNB noted the BASL’s warning that increasing the retirement age of serving judges could be perceived by the public as an attempt to interfere with the independence of the judiciary.

The French legal body also referred to the Commonwealth Lawyers’ Association’s statement supporting the BASL’s concerns and reaffirmed that an independent and impartial judiciary is essential to upholding the rule of law.

The CNB expressed its full support for the BASL’s position and urged the Sri Lankan authorities not to proceed with the proposed constitutional amendments to increase judges’ retirement ages.

It further stressed that any constitutional reform should be preceded by proper consultation with stakeholders in line with democratic principles and due process, while calling on both Sri Lankan and French authorities, as well as the international community, to safeguard judicial independence and the rule of law.  (Newswire)

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