France Toughens Immigration Laws

In a recent move, the French parliament has approved a law tightening immigration policies, restricting the ability of migrants, including Nigerian students, to bring their families into the country.

The law, supported by President Emmanuel Macron’s centrist Renaissance party and the far-right National Rally led by the French National Assembly Deputy, Marine Le Pen, has stirred debates and exposed divisions within the government, according to a report by the BBC on Thursday.

The revised legislation, proposed after an initial draft faced rejection, intensified restrictions on family reunification, delaying access to welfare benefits for migrants.

Notably, the law prohibits detaining minors in detention centres, though some regional leaders have expressed their reluctance to comply with certain measures.

Critics have argued that a controversial provision in the law discriminates between citizens and migrants, even those residing legally in the country, regarding eligibility for benefits.

Right-wing parties, however, have welcomed the tougher stance, with Marine Le Pen hailing it as an “ideological victory” for the far-right.

Moreso, the voting session in France saw 27 MPs opposing the law, and 32 abstaining, reflecting divisions within the governing alliance.

Health Minister Aurélien Rousseau resigned in protest, emphasizing discomfort with certain measures in the bill.

“Some measures in the bill make me very uncomfortable,” Yaël Braun-Pivet, the president of the lower house of parliament and a member of Mr Macron’s party said.

Also, the new French legislation coincided with an EU agreement to reform the asylum system across the bloc’s 27 member states.

The agreement, yet to be formally approved, aims to establish border detention centers and expedite the deportation process for rejected asylum seekers.

Despite the government’s majority, concerns have persisted about the constitutionality of some measures, prompting a commitment to seek guidance from the Constitutional Council.