On Tuesday, the French parliament gave its final approval to a contested bill that toughens rules for immigrants, giving President Emmanuel Macron a policy victory that nonetheless exposed cracks in his centrist majority. The bill, a compromise reached between Macron’s party and the conservative opposition, will make it easier for the government to expel foreigners who commit serious crimes or threaten public order. It also will allow the government to give legal status to migrant workers in sectors such as restaurants and hotels struggling with labor shortages.
The legislation, a revised version of a bill that was initially more liberal and passed the Senate, has been further hardened in a parliamentary commission and prompted criticism from left-wing lawmakers and NGOs who called it potentially the “most regressive immigration law in decades.”
As France struggles to find enough staff in its hospitals, construction sector, and hotels, businesses have warned that the current restrictions on bringing in migrants will cost the economy billions of euros over time. The government argues that the new rules are necessary to help fight against illegal migration, which has been on the rise.
But the bill has angered many of those who are already here. Ahead of the vote, activists held a rally in front of parliament. One demonstrator told DW that migrants are “not burdens but partners.” Others have complained that the measure will discourage migrant families from bringing their loved ones to France.
Even though the bill has been made far harsher, it is still likely to succeed when it returns to the lower house of parliament, the National Assembly, where Macron’s majority is insufficient. It may face a stricter debate in the coming weeks as it goes through a committee of experts.
The draft legislation illustrates the rightward shift in politics in much of Europe, where governments are trying to fend off the rise of the far-right by being more demanding on immigration. As a result, many mainstream politicians depict immigrants as a source of burden or a threat to society, according to Vincent Tiberj, a political sociology professor at the University of Sciences Po Bordeaux. He says that is a mistake, as many migrant communities — especially later generations of migrants — contribute significantly to France. “They should be proud to have contributed, and I think politicians like Renaissance, who want to grab right-wing votes, should know that this strategy doesn’t work,” he tells DW. “On the contrary, it legitimizes far-right movements.” Adapted from an article by DW’s Olivier Veran and Jeanne Paganini and edited by Anne-Sophie Dufour.
