Age of criminal responsibility, consent set to drop from 15 to 14

The Chamber of Deputies has voted to lower the age of criminal responsibility from 15 to 14. The age of consent is also set to drop from 15 to 14. The changes are part of a new Penal Code which also lengthens prison terms for murder and other serious crimes; it must now go before the Senate and the president.

The Communist Party voted against the new legislation, as it also includes a provision to make denial of "communist genocide" a crime like denying the Holocaust.