On Tuesday night, the French Parliament finally approved a controversial draft law on immigration after 349 deputies supported it in the House of Representatives and 186 deputies opposed it shortly after its approval in the Senate.
Although the passage of this text represents a victory for the parliamentary majority, it has serious political consequences, as it tightens the rules for immigrants.
At the end of long and difficult negotiations that ended on Tuesday, members of the National Assembly and the Senate agreed on a joint version of the controversial text, according to Agence France-Presse.
The right and far right voted in favor of the text, while the left voted against it.
On the other hand, the centrist parties supporting the government were divided over the text.
Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin was quick to welcome the passage of the draft law.
He said in a post on the X platform, “The immigration text has been finally approved… a long battle for better integration of foreigners and the expulsion of those who commit criminal acts… a strong and resolute text.”
On the other hand, the leader of the Proud France Party (extreme left), Jean-Luc Mélenchon, denounced the text, considering its approval a “disgusting victory” achieved thanks to the votes of the extreme right.
“A new political axis has been established,” Mélenchon said on the X platform.
For his part, the head of the Republican Party (right), Eric Ciotti, welcomed a “historic victory for the right” and a “Republican law to combat mass immigration.”
Immediately after the draft law was approved, the Socialist Party announced its intention to appeal the text before the Constitutional Council.
In order to gain support from the right, the French government agreed to ease residence permit measures, while working to delay immigrants’ access to social welfare benefits, according to Reuters.
The French have long prided themselves on having one of the most generous social welfare systems in the world, granting payments even to foreign residents, helping them pay rent or care for their children with monthly contributions of up to a few hundred euros.
The far right, and more recently conservatives, have argued that these matters should be reserved for French people only.
The law would delay unemployed migrants from outside the European Union receiving housing benefits for five years.
Just six months before the European Parliament elections in which immigration will be a key element, this could also be boosted by Marine Le Pen, who sensed a political opportunity and described the reshaped bill as a “great ideological victory” for her far-right party, Reuters reported.
The government surprised by announcing that its party would vote in favor of the bill, causing severe embarrassment to the left wing of Macron’s party, which finds it unpalatable to vote in unison with the far right.
On Sunday, the two most prominent trade union federations in France, the heads of human rights associations, and academics asked the French President, Emmanuel Macron, to withdraw the draft immigration law, which is “a solid disgrace to our republican principles.”
The General Secretaries of the two trade union federations, Marielise Lyon (CFDT) and Sophie Binet (CGT), along with the heads of the two charities “Simad”, “Abi Pierre Foundation”, the Human Rights League and “France Terre d’Azile”, confirmed that the measures contained in a text approved by the Senate and adopted by The Joint Commission is a pillar that “impairs many of our republican principles in terms of unconditional access to health care or housing, respect for dignity and refusal to endorse the logic of national preference.”
The signatories indicated that there are many “compromise” or “compromise” measures, such as the requirement to obtain social benefits for five years of legal residence in France, the recriminalization of illegal residence, the abolition of state medical aid (AME), the tightening of the conditions for obtaining residence permits or even the waving. Increased deportations.
The signatories condemned a “negative atmosphere” in France and Europe and “increasing feelings of hatred and rejection of others” and believed that “the only viable path today is to withdraw the draft law, which has proven to be unable to be adopted by a parliamentary majority on the basis of respect for our republican values.”
The Secretary General of CIMAD, Fanelli Carrie Conte, said in a statement to Agence France-Presse: “We are facing a dangerous moment for foreigners and for our country,” stressing the necessity of confrontation until the end, noting that “what is at stake are matters that are fundamental to our principles.” Republic.
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2023-12-20 11:30:47
