On Tuesday, December 19th, the French parliament adopted a controversial immigration law, a move that has sparked a significant political crisis within President Emmanuel Macron’s government. The bill, which received backing from the far right, led to the resignation of Health Minister Aurélien Rousseau and heightened tensions within the ruling party.
The lower house voted in favor of the legislation by a wide majority, despite a major rebellion within Macron’s own Renaissance Party and allied factions. The bill, which saw various amendments further tightening immigration measures, was criticized by the left for caving in to pressure from the far right, particularly Marine Le Pen’s National Rally (RN).
Le Pen endorsed the strengthened immigration bill, calling it an “ideological victory” for the RN. This endorsement was seen as a “kiss of death” for Macron’s party, as it deepened the ideological divide within the government. The bill’s passage was critical for Macron, who cannot run again in 2027 and risks being seen as a “lame duck” with more than three years left of his term.
The key elements of the immigration law include conditioning social security benefits for foreigners on five years of presence in France, or 30 months for those with jobs, and the introduction of migration quotas. There are also measures for stripping dual-national convicts of French nationality.
The political crisis was further exacerbated by Rousseau’s resignation, which was accepted by the government. Several other ministers who opposed the redrafted immigration legislation were reportedly summoned to prevent further cabinet desertions. Prime Minister Élisabeth Borne denied any crisis in the government, insisting that the immigration bill respects French values and contains measures awaited by citizens.
The immigration bill’s passage has divided MPs of the governing Renaissance party, with 27 MPs voting against and 32 abstaining. Analysis of the votes indicated that the bill would have failed without the RN’s support. The legislation has now been sent to the country’s constitutional council for review, particularly scrutinizing whether immigration quotas and restrictions on welfare benefits for undocumented migrants are discriminatory and unlawful.
This development in French politics highlights the complexities of immigration policy and the challenges of governing with a relative majority. The controversy surrounding the bill reflects broader societal debates on immigration and the balancing act between security concerns and human rights.
