The country’s parliament endorsed a law backed by President Macron’s ruling party to bring an end to the practice.

Anyone who tries to “cure” gay and/or transgender people will face up to two years’ imprisonment and a fine of €30,000 – with harsher sentences imposed where the victims are under 18 or vulnerable.

France’s European affairs minister, Clément Beaune, who is gay, tweeted that he was “proud of this agreement”.

Conversion therapy has been condemned by experts in the United Nations. The practice may involve group therapy, electric shocks, forced sex and injections.

In France some 100 cases have been reported in recent years.